
TRAIL 













JAMES A.BRADEN 




University of California Berkeley 

DONALD SIDNEY-FRYER 
COLLECTION 




"THE CUSTOM IS THAT THE WITCH MUST DIE." 

(See page 59.) 



THE TRAIL OF 
THE SENECA 



By JAMES A. BRADEN 

AUTHOR OF 

"CONNECTICUT BOYJ' IN THE WESTERN RESERVE," 
"FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," "CAPTIVES THREE," Etc. 

ILLUSTRATED BY R. G. VOSBUROH 



THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY 

NEW YORK AKRON, OHIO CHICAGO 



COPYRIGHT, 1907 
BY THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY 




ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page. 

"The custom is that the witch 

must die," Frontispiece 

He kept his eyes on the Seneca 

unceasingly, 90 

He wheeled and sent the redskin 

sprawling, 242 

They asked him to go with them, 344 



CONTENTS. 

Chapter Page 

I The Beginning of it all 9 

II A Sentence of Death Accused of 

Witchcraft 22 

III The Warning 35 

' IV Watched : 49 

V In Dripping Rain and Darkness . . 65 

VI < ' The Witch is Hidden Here " . . . . 84 

VII The Secret Lead Mine 97 

VIII The Salt Springs A Startling 

Discovery 114 

IX The Evil Power of Lone-Elk 132 

X ' ' More Bullets, More Lead " 147 

XI The Hidden Tomahawk 157 

XII Kingdom also Makes a Discovery 172 

XIII The Seneca Outwitted 186 

XIV The Mysterious Camp in the 

Gulley 198 

XV The Gift of White Wampum 213 

XVI A Midnight Supper 227 

XVII The Explosion 241 

XVIII Fishing Bird in Trouble 255 

XIX An Interview of < ' Mad Anthony ' ' 269 

XX Delivered to the Delawares 282 

XXI The Burning of the Cabin 294 

XXII The Man in the Ravine 306 

XXIII One Mystery Cleared Away 320 

XXIV Who Killed Big Buffalo 1 337 

XXV Farewell Forever 356 

XXVI Down the Sun-Kissed Slope To- 
gether 361 



CHAPTER I. 

THE BEGINNING OF IT ALL. 

A hatchet of stone, cumbersome and crude, 
but a dangerous weapon once, though now it is 
only a silent memento of the days of Captain 
Pipe, of Lone-Elk, of Fishing Bird, the scowl- 
ing Big Buffalo and the graceful, pretty Gentle 
Maiden as well, lies on my table as I write. 

Of Captain Pipe, Big Buffalo and certain of 
the others, I have already told you something; 
but you have yet to hear of Lone-Elk, the 
Seneca, Lone-Elk, the outcast from the vil- 
lages of his people, bold and strong yet 
crafty, deceitful, treacherous, and still, withal 
as ambitious and as vain an Indian as ever trod 
the long-ago forest fastnesses. 

It is of Lone-Elk that I am to tell you now. 
What part this tomahawk, which lies upon my 
table, had in the story may later be revealed to 
you, but as for that, it is not of great import- 

9 



10 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

ance. For I shall not undertake to say that it 
was this identical stone axe that was used by 
the exiled Seneca ; I only know that the ancient 
weapon was picked up long years ago not far 
from where the cabin of the young white set- 
tlers stood, and sometimes when the firelight 
flickers fitfully upon it, and I think of those very 
early times in this beloved and beautiful 
country of ours, I fancy I can see the crimson 
stains Jerome and Kingdom saw. 

But no matter. It is with the Harvest Fes- 
tival in the village of the Delawares that the 
story properly begins ; with the Harvest Fes- 
tival in the Indian town beside the little lake 
and the dancing and the music. There, while 
seen only, by the birds and other wild creatures 
of the woods, the gaunt form of Big Buffalo lay 
cold and lifeless upon the ground in the brush 
along the shore, his sullen eyes glassy and star- 
ing and all his harsh and ugly features 
unchangeably fixed and dreadful to see. At the 
Harvest Festival Lone-Elk was a leader in 
the merry-making, while the two white boys, so 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 11 

soon to feel the awful force of his evil power, 
calmly fished from their canoe at the opposite 
side of the water. 

Never before had the Delawares prepared so 
lavishly for the fall Thanksgiving. To cele- 
brate the Festival of the Harvest when the 
corn and the beans and the squashes, the 
tobacco and the nuts had been gathered in was 
no new thing among them, but Lone-Elk had 
made the plans for a far more elaborate enter- 
tainment this year than the people of Captain 
Pipe's village were accustomed to have. And 
notwithstanding that the Seneca was a wan- 
derer from his own home country and might 
never go back to his rightful tribe, the chief of 
the Delawares had allowed him to assume the 
leadership in every arrangement for the happy 
occasion. 

However, Lone-Elk well knew how best to 
prepare all things to please and favor Captain 
Pipe, and he did not fail to see to it that the 
latter was given many opportunities to display 
his dignity and his eloquence and wisdom in the 



12 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

speech-making and addresses to the spirits dur- 
ing the exercises in the Council House. What 
could be more natural, then, than that the head 
Delaware should refuse to listen to those of 
his people who would have criticised the policy 
of allowing a comparative stranger to direct 
and lead them! 

The wandering October breezes scarcely rip- 
pled the waters of the little lake. They whis- 
pered in the half-bare branches of the trees and 
seemed to play at hide-and-seek with the fallen 
leaves. The blue smoke curling up from the 
hole in the roof of the Council House was 
scarcely moved by them. All was serenely 
quiet in and about the Indian town on this 
autumn day in the year 1792, excepting only in 
the Council House itself, where all the Dela- 
wares and even a few Mingoes, or stragglers 
from other tribes or towns, were come together 
for Thanksgiving. All had come but one. 

Even the most ardent of the young braves 
had put aside their talk of war all summer 
long they had talked of little else to partici- 



THH TRAIL OF THE SENECA 13 

pate in the celebration, and each had brought a 
contribution of meat of his own killing for the 
feast which was to follow the speech-making 
and offerings to the Great Spirit. All the 
youngsters, the boys and girls of the village, 
were there. The old men and women, also, 
were present. Captain Pipe of course was there 
and Fishing Bird and Long Hair and Little 
Wolf. Of all the people of the town upon the 
lake only one was missing from the ceremonies. 

A solemn scene it was when Hopocon, or 
Pipe, for the former was his Indian name, in 
his imposing chieftain's costume stood before 
the little fire in the center of the long, low bark 
building and sprinkled broken tobacco leaves 
upon the coals that their incense rising might 
bear his words on high. It was an impressive 
scene as well, and though the number present 
was large, the greatest quiet prevailed. 

It was also an interesting sight. The war- 
riors and bucks were in their brightest and 
newest kilts, leggins and moccasins, with 
braided belts bound like sashes about their 



14: THE TRAIL OP THE SHNHCA 

waists or over their shoulders. Some wore the 
head-dress of colored eagle feathers; some did 
not. Lone-Elk was of the former and in addi- 
tion a piece of silver, supported by a cord of 
leather about his neck, dangled against his 
broad, bronze chest, while at his left knee hung 
a rattle made of deer's hoofs. 

Among the more elderly Indians there was 
less display in dress, but many of the young 
women were in holiday raiment, adding a still 
further touch of color to the picture. Among 
the latter was Gentle Maiden, the daughter of 
Captain Pipe. A loose gown of doeskin worked 
with many colored beads and the quills of por- 
cupines hung from her shoulders to her ankles. 
On her feet were ornamented moccasins and 
above them leggins. Two long strings of beads 
were suspended about her neck, contrasting in 
color with the deep black of two heavy plaits of 
hair, falling nearly to her waist. 

The leaves of tobacco crimpled and turned 
to flame on the glowing, hot coals. 

1 ' Great Spirit, listen to our words. We burn 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 15 

this tobacco. The smoke rises to thee. We 
thank thee for thy great goodness in causing 
our mother [the earth] to bring forth her 
fruits. We thank thee that our supporters 
[corn, beans and squashes] have yielded abund- 
antly. 

' ' Great Spirit, our words continue to flow 
toward thee. Preserve us from all danger. 
Preserve our aged men. Preserve our mothers. 
Preserve our warriors. Preserve our children. 
May our thanks, rising with the smoke of this 
tobacco, be pleasing to thee." 

Thus spoke Captain Pipe. Save only for the 
sound of his voice, the crackling of the tobacco 
upon the fire, and the soughing of the wind 
there was perfect silence in the Council House. 

Only when the address was finished did there 
come a stir of animation among the assembled 
Indians. Closer to the walls, farther from the 
fire, which was in the center of the floor, they 
crowded then, while out from among them came 
those who were to join in the dance of Thanks- 
giving. There were fourteen of these, includ- 



16 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

ing Lone-Elk and other warriors and behind 
the men came Gentle Maiden and four other 
young women fourteen in all. 

Two singers seated near the center of the 
large room began a weird, wildly musical chant, 
their words telling of thanks to the Great 
Spirit, while in accompaniment to their voices 
they beat the air with rattles made of the shells 
of turtles. 

As the singing began the dance was started 
and with many graceful swayings of his body, 
lifting his feet but little above the ground and 
often striking his heels upon the earth in keep- 
ing with the music's time, Lone-Elk led his fol- 
lowers round and round. 

Unlike the dance of war, there were no violent 
expressions of countenance or movements of the 
body; no striking or attacking of imaginary 
foes. Every step was gentle and every motion 
was graceful. Thus for two or three minutes 
the dance continued. The assembly looked on 
with quiet rapture, pleased and happy. 

Presently the music ceased, the dancing was 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 17 

discontinued and while the dancers walked 
slowly and more slowly in a wide circle around 
the fire, an old man arose and spoke. It was 
Neohaw, wrinkled and lean. He wore no head- 
dress or other ornament and his clothing con- 
sisted only of moccasins, buckskin trousers and 
a faded red blanket which he wore over his 
shoulders. His coarse and tangled hair hung 
loosely over his ears and about his shoulders. 
Neohaw was a medicine-man and was both 
feared and respected. His words were : 

"We return thanks to Heno [thunder] for 
his protection from reptiles and from witches 
and that he has given us his rain." 

The old man spoke very slowly but with a 
show of superior learning, as if he and no other 
was really fit to address so important a spirit. 
As he resumed his seat the singing and dancing 
began again and for an interval continued as 
before. 

Again, at the conclusion of the music, an aged 
warrior rose. His voice quavered and his body 
trembled with its feebleness beneath the robe 



18 THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 

of fur about his shoulders, but his eyes shone 
with fervor as he said: "We return thanks to 
Gaoh [the wind] that by his moving the air 
disease has been carried from us." 

Then as before the music and the dance were 
resumed and were followed by still another 
short but earnest expression of thanksgiving, 
each part of the exercises appearing in its 
proper order as Lone-Elk had planned and 
directed, and as many of the Delawares knew 
of their own knowledge that the ancient custom 
was. 

Thanksgiving to the lakes and rivers, to the 
sun and moon and stars, to the trees and flowers 
and all nature was expressed in the many brief 
addresses, till at last the singers' voices were 
hoarse and the dancers were wet with perspira- 
tion, and weary. 

An address by Captain Pipe in which he once 
again thanked the Great Spirit for goodness to 
the Delawares and for all which was theirs, con- 
cluded the religious ceremonies of the Harvest 
Festival and slowly the Indians dispersed from 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 19 

the Council House. Some went away to games 
and some to their lodges, while others loitered 
in and about the village. For the women had 
all been listening to the speeches and watching 
the dancers and had yet to prepare the feast 
which was to follow, continuing into the night. 

By himself Lone-Elk wandered from the vil- 
lage. Strolling down the slight descent to the 
edge of the lake, he took his way along the nar- 
row strip of sand and sod of which the beach 
consisted and soon was out of sight. The music 
and dance had recalled strongly to his mind his 
home among the Senecas and those earlier days 
before he was an exile. 

An audible "Ugh" came from Lone-Elk's 
lips and he scowled as if out of patience with 
himself. Turning then and leaving the water's 
side, he pushed through some brush to the 
higher bank above. On this elevation he 
paused, and turning about gazed carelessly over 
the lake. Far across its smooth surface he 
could see a canoe and two young men in it. 

"Palefaces," he murmured and another 



20 THE TRAIL OF THH SBNHCA 

' ' Ugh, ' ' this time in a tone of contempt, parted 
his tight-set lips. For a second or two he 
watched the little craft and its occupants, then 
strode slowly into the forest. 

A straggling half circle of perhaps a mile the 
Seneca's feet marked in the freshly fallen 
leaves while he made his way indirectly toward 
the village. As he drew near his listless step 
quickened and his reflective, downcast eyes 
became alert and sharp. Harsh tones were ris- 
ing from a group of braves not far from him. 
Then his approach was noticed. 

A young Delaware with only a fringed kilt 
and leggins covering his nakedness, turned and 
pointed a finger at the Seneca menacingly, but 
quickly another seized the outstretched hand 
and pressed it down. By this time the ap- 
proaching Indian was close at hand. 

"Does Lone-Elk know of Big Buffalo I" the 
foremost of the Delawares inquired. "The 
Seneca left the village to walk beside the water. 
Now he comes back from a different direction. 
Does he know of Big Buffalo! Know that Big 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 21 

Buffalo is dead in the bushes that the water 
runs among! Little Wolf is here. Little Wolf 
saw Big Buffalo dead found the Buffalo dead 
among the bushes by the water found Big Buf- 
falo killed. " 



CHAPTER II. 

A SENTENCE OP DEATH ACCUSED OF WITCH- 
CRAFT. 

"Big Buffalo wquld have nothing to do with 
the Harvest Festival as Lone-Elk planned it 
and the Seneca has killed him," was in sub- 
stance the report which quickly passed among 
the Delawares when Little Wolf had come run- 
ning to the village, telling of the discovery he 
had made telling how he had found the dead 
body among the brush and reeds as he went in 
search of an arrow idly sent flying from his 
bow, after the exercises in the Council House 
were over. 

The finger pointed at him as he had come up, 
though hastily pushed aside, was enough to tell 
Lone-Elk that he was suspected, even if no 
word had been spoken. 

"Is it said that Lone-Elk killed Big Buf- 
falo 1 ' ' the Seneca demanded of the Indian who 
told to him the news. 
22 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 23 

"Big Buffalo would not come into the Coun- 
cil House for the Harvest Thanksgiving that 
was planned by Lone-Elk, " said another of the 
Dela wares. "It is this that they say." 

The scowl on the Seneca's face became more 
bitter and contemptuous. With a look of dis- 
dain he left the group, fast increasing in num- 
bers about him, and walked with head held high 
directly to the lodge of Captain Pipe. 

The finding of Big Buffalo dead had put a 
sudden damper on the day's festivities. The 
squaws discontinued their preparations for the 
feast, and while the young bucks and warriors 
gathered about to discuss the mysterious death 
of one of the best known, though by no means 
best liked, of their number, children clung about 
their mothers' knees as the latter also flocked 
from lodge to lodge to talk of the strange dis- 
covery. 

There were few outward signs of excitement 
or emotion, that was a thing the Indians 
rarely showed. But in a cold, impassive way 
every person in the village was keenly inter- 



24 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

ested. Never had there been so disturbing a 
thing at a time of festivity before. 

Many eyes turned toward Lone-Elk as he 
strode toward Captain Pipe 's lodge and entered 
the hut. Even as he did so two warriors, still 
in holiday garb, came carrying the body of Big 
Buffalo between them. Without a word they 
bore the corpse to the home it had always 
known in life, where lived the dead man's 
mother an old, old woman now, who loudly 
lamented the death of her son as she sat on the 
ground just within the tumble-down bark 
lodge. 

"Big Buffalo is found dead," said Lone-Elk 
to Captain Pipe. 

A look and significant shrug of the shoulders 
was the only answer. 

"If one dies when a festival is prepared, the 
custom is to put the body by, to say to the 
sorrowful, 'We will mourn with you another 
time; join in the feasting with us till the fes- 
tival is over.' It is an old, old custom," Lone- 
Elk said. "When the festival is over, also, it 
may be asked, 'How did Big Buffalo die?' " 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 25 

"The custom is to kill him who kills another 
without the right of war and not in fair fight. 
It is a good custom/ 7 Captain Pipe made 
answer and looked at the Seneca searchingly. 

"Lone-Elk did not kill Big Buffalo, " the 
younger Indian said in answer to the chief 7 s 
questioning look, and his voice was icy cold. 

"If Lone-Elk did not kill Big Buffalo, 77 Cap- 
tain Pipe returned in the same manner, slowly 
and sternly, "then shall Lone-Elk find him that 
did kill Big Buffalo. Let him come not back 
until he has done this. The Delawares have no 
fear of any living creature; but no Delaware 
kills one of his own people. With the Senecas 
it is not always so. 77 

For a moment Lone-Elk 7 s sharp eyes scruti- 
nized the chief's face as if he would find a 
double meaning in the Delaware 7 s closing sen- 
tence. Could it be that Captain Pipe knew his 
whole history knew the reason he returned no 
more to his own nation! But quickly he 
answered the older Indian's scathing words, 
and his voice was harsh and bitter as he said: 



26 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

1 i Does Captain Pipe think, then, that because 
Big Buffalo, like a whipped dog, slunk away and 
would not appear in the Festival of the Har- 
vest, the mind of Lone-Elk was poisoned against 
him? In his own breast does Captain Pipe find 
lodgment for the thought that so petty a thing 
could turn a Seneca to anger? No! Hear me! 
Lone-Elk but smiled at the childishness of Big 
Buffalo." 

"Let Lone-Elk show the Delawares how Big 
Buffalo died," the chief haughtily answered, 
and his tones were a challenge. Even as he 
spoke, too, he turned his back to the Seneca and 
the latter, clenching his teeth to suppress the 
angry words he thought, wheeled about and left 
the lodge. 

As Lone-Elk walked quickly to his own lodge 
he plainly noticed that not a friendly eye was 
turned toward him. His own glances the Dela- 
wares evaded by looking the other way, but he 
knew full well that they turned to gaze after him 
when he had passed, and he felt the things they 
were saying of him. It was a desperate situa- 



THB TRAIL OF THE SBNBCA 27 

tion. The charge of murder might quickly be 
followed by the charge of witchcraft, and that 
could mean only a choice between flight and 
death. 

Indeed, to hoodwink the Delawares long 
enough to permit him to get away from them 
never to return seemed to the Seneca for the 
moment his wisest course. Still, how had Big 
Buffalo died? If his death was from natural 
causes could he not quickly prove such to have 
been the case, and then, the Delawares admit- 
ting it, rebuke them for their suspicions ? That 
would be excellent! Nothing could help him 
more in his keen desire for a recognized posi- 
tion of permanent leadership. 

All in a twinkling these thoughts crowded 
upon the brain of Lone-Elk. They restored his 
great self-confidence and his feeling of supe- 
riority. Looking neither to right nor left, he 
walked with all the dignity of his haughty 
nature to the hut where the body of the dead 
Indian lay. With a few soothing words to the 
lamenting squaws about the door, he entered 



28 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

the rude shelter and bent low over the silent 
figure of the departed warrior. Even as he did 
so a new thought came to the Seneca and he 
gloomily shrugged his shoulders as if to con- 
ceal his delight from those who might be 
watching. 

Slowly Lone-Elk examined the half-covered 
body of Big Buffalo and silently nodded his 
head as if he found only that which he expected 
to find. 

* ' See, ' ' he said very calmly to the women and 
to Fishing Bird and one or two other braves 
who had drawn near, "see, no bruises. A 
witch has killed Big Buffalo. It is as Lone-Elk 
says. Only a witch's power can kill a warrior 
so." 

"A witch Big Buffalo killed by a witch!" 
The word was spread about the village with the 
speed of the wind. 

Many of the Indians and Captain Pipe among 
them gathered about the Seneca. 

"It is as Lone-Elk supposed. It is as Lone- 
Elk now says; a witch has killed Big Buffalo," 



THB TRAIL OP THE SENECA 29 

he boldly declared. "Listen to my words. 
Lone-Elk knows the hand which struck a war- 
rior of the Delawares down. Lone-Elk alone 
can tell how Big Buffalo died; but the Dela- 
wares well know the custom of the people of the 
Long House [the Iroquois] and of all the 
Indians, that witches shall be put to death. ' ' 

There was a stir of ill-suppressed excitement. 
Lone-Elk was using strong words. "Whom 
would he accuse? To be accused of practicing 
witchcraft was nothing short of a sentence of 
death. The accusation was itself sufficient. No 
evidence was necessary. 

"Lone-Elk knows the hand which reached out 
to wither the strength of Big Buffalo, even as 
flowers are turned black by cold," the Seneca 
went on, slowly and solemnly. "When the 
speeches and the dancing in the Council House 
were over Lone-Elk walked to cool himself 
beside the water. Across the lake he saw in a 
canoe the young Palefaces who have come 
unbidden here to cut down the trees and drive 
off the game which belong only to the Indians, 



30 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

even as others of the Longknives have done 
in the lands where lived our fathers. Two of 
the Palefaces there were when Lone-Elk first 
saw them. 

" Again Lone-Elk looked and only one was 
there only one Paleface in the canoe ; but over 
the water floated a cloud of foul-smelling vapor. 
Nearer and nearer the cloud came. Soon it 
passed into the woods. Again did Lone-Elk 
look. Again the cloud appeared and as it 
moved across the quiet waters drew near the 
canoe in which there still was but one of the 
two Palefaces. 

"And even as Lone-Elk watched a strange 
thing happened. Quick as the leap of a fright- 
ened deer was the cloud changed to the form of 
a bird a large, black bird with heavy, beating 
wings. Straight to the canoe the great bird 
flew. Still Lone-Elk watched closely and held 
his breath hard with wonder. Once, twice the 
strange bird circled about the solitary Paleface, 
then flew swiftly into the canoe. Instantly 
there appeared two young Palefaces where only 



THE TRAIL OP THB SHNHCA 31 

one had been before. And the bird, the big, 
black bird was gone. In his hands the Paleface 
witch he you call ' Little Paleface' it is 
held a tomahawk. 

"The sun shone bright upon it and even far 
across the water did Lone-Elk see the red blood 
still wet and shining. Not then did Lone-Elk 
know. Not then did Lone-Elk guess the awful 
thing which happened. Now does he know- 
now do all the Delawares know how came Big 
Buffalo to die." 

There was a stir followed by a deeply threat- 
ening murmur among the assembled Indians. 
It boded ill ah, ill indeed, to the young white 
pioneers. 

Flushed with the success of his narrative and 
vain to find himself so hearkened to, even by 
those who a little while before were his^ accus- 
ers, the Seneca would have added to his extra- 
ordinary story and elaborated upon the many 
fearsome shapes the cloud assumed of which he 
told. The words were in his mind but he hesi- 
tated to try the credulity of the Delawares 



32 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

further. Yet speak he must. The Indians still 
pressed nearer. They would hear more; and 
Lone-Elk therefore continued. 

"The witch must die. If only one Paleface 
is bewitched then only one must die. Let all the 
Delawares hear now and remember. Lone-Elk 
will kill him that killed Big Buffalo and the 
White Fox as well, if the White Fox is also a 
witch as his brother that you call ' Little Pale- 
face' is." 

If any of the Indians doubted the words of 
the Seneca, none showed it. Few red men there 
were who did not believe in witchcraft and 
Lone-Elk had made his tale just fanciful and 
weird enough to win and hold their faith in all 
his declarations. 

In those days too, not only among the Dela- 
wares but among more advanced Indian nations 
as well, witchcraft was more than a mere super- 
stition. It was feared and hated as an actually 
existing thing, more awful than the most deadly 
disease. The declaration of any one Indian 
that another was a witch was almost certain to 



THE TRAIL OF THE SBNBCA 33 

be followed by the killing of the one accused. 
It was the duty as well as the privilege of the 
accuser to take the other's life. 

Little wonder is it, when these circumstances 
are considered, that Lone-Elk's declarations, 
made in the most convincing and emphatic man- 
ner of which his eloquence was capable, made a 
deep impression! Many were visibly fright- 
ened. The thought that soon they might be 
struck down, even as Big Buffalo had been, was 
far more disquieting than to face a foe in hand- 
to-hand combat. 

One of the Delawares there was, however, 
who went quietly away soon after Lone-Elk had 
finished speaking, and as if only loitering about, 
came presently to his own hut. Here he 
removed the gayest part of the holiday dress 
he wore, .including the sash of scarlet cloth 
relic of some plundered settlement, no doubt 
and with his gun over his shoulder sauntered 
again through the village as if he were start- 
ing out to hunt. 

This Indian was Fishing Bird. He found 



34: THE TRAIL OF THE SENHCA 

Lone-Elk still talking, still surrounded by an 
attentive, awestruck throng. When the Har- 
vest Festival was over, the Seneca was saying, 
then would be the time to mourn Big Buffalo's 
death and then the time to avenge his murder. 
It was an old, old custom, he went on, that if 
one d;ed when a festival was being enjoyed, the 
body should be laid aside until the season of the 
merrymaking was over. Addressing Captain 
Pipe directly, he appealed to the chief to say if 
the ancient custom should not now be observed. 

The leader of the Delawares saw plainly that 
Lone-Elk's proposal pleased his people. 

"Then shall it.be as the Seneca says," he 
made answer, and waiting to hear nothing more, 
Fishing Bird, with a glance across the lake to 
make certain the white boys were still fishing 
near the far-away shore, turned slowly into the 
woods. He walked with lagging steps only 
until the village was left well behind, then 
eagerly dashed forward at a run. 



CHAPTER III. 

THE WARNING. 

"Now just^one more!" 

"Oh, look a 'here! that's what youVe been 
saying for a half hour or more ! You see where 
the sun is, don't you?" 

"All right, then, I don't care; but there's a 
regular whale almost on my hook and it's too 
bad to disappoint him," the first speaker 
returned. Even as he answered, however, he 
drew in the long, heavy fishing pole he held and 
followed his companion's example in winding 
his line on a broad, flat stick notched at both 
ends. 

It was time, indeed, that the day's Sport be 
ended. The autumn sun was scarcely visible 
through the branches of the trees to the west. 
The air, so soft and warm at mid-day, was 
growing cold, and six miles or more lay between 
the young fishermen and the homely but snug 

35 



36 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

log cabin which was their home, and whose 
pleasant fire and comforts the nipping wind now 
made doubly attractive. 

Those of you who have read "Far Past the 
Frontier " or "Connecticut Boys in the West- 
ern Beserve" will have recognized in the two 
fisher lads thus introduced Beturn Kingdom 
and John Jerome, once more in the Ohio wilder- 
ness to complete their home-making after the 
trying times of the preceding spring and winter, 
ending, as you know, with the recovery of the 
hidden fortune which cost so many lives and 
for which so many searched in vain. 

Of course it was John, slight of figure but 
strong, tough and wiry as a wolf, and full of 
fun as a lively young fellow of eighteen or so 
could be, who had shown such reluctance to 
put away his line and yield no longer to the 
temptation to try for "just one more." 

Of course it was Bee Kingdom, tall and broad 
shouldered, who pointed out the fast-setting 
sun and recognized the necessity of starting 
homeward before darkness hid the way. Some- 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 37 

how it always was left to Ree to guide and 
direct. His quiet manner, energy, resourceful- 
ness and thoughtfulness made him naturally the 
leader. He was very little older than his life- 
long friend, Jerome, but the latter was always 
willing that Ree should be the captain in all 
their various enterprises. And yet it may well 
be said that John was a very agreeable and 
helpful private in all undertakings, whether in 
matters of work, matters of sport and recrea- 
tion, or matters involving their common safety 
in this wild country of Ohio where they had set 
about to establish their home and at the same 
time carry on a profitable trade with the 
Indians. 

1 'We might have crossed over and had a look 
at the Delawares' Harvest Festival," said 
John, stretching himself preparatory to begin- 
ning the homeward journey. 

" Still, the art of minding your own business 
is often worth cultivating. It's a pretty good 
idea, sometimes," Kingdom answered with a 
smile, and picked up a paddle to shove the 



38 THE TRAIL OF THE SENBCA 

canoe off into deeper water. Just as he did so a 
piece of dried mud, such as would weigh an 
ounce or two, dropped into the little craft 
directly in front of him. 

1 1 Hello, here! Hello, Fishing Bird!" ex- 
claimed John who, as he was facing the reed- 
lined shore, was the first to see whence the bit 
of dried earth came, and recognized at once an 
old friend from the Indian town. 

"How now, Fishing Bird! We thought you 
were busy with the Harvest Festival that Lone- 
Elk planned so grandly* How come 

Kingdom's greeting, rapidly following 
John 's, was interrupted by the Indian placing a 
finger to his lips and shaking his head most 
earnestly. 

" Paleface brothers listen, Paleface brothers 
not make any noise at all. Hear all Fishing 
Bird will say," the Delaware began in a sub- 
dued undertone, keeping himself almost wholly 
concealed by the tall grass and reeds at the 
water's edge. 

"No! look other way!" he urged, speaking 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 39 

rapidly but low, as both the white lads turned 
toward him. " Maybe Lone-Elk watching. 
Lone-Elk says Little Paleface is a witch and 
must be killed. Big Buffalo is dead found 
dead by Little Wolf in the bushes by the water 
and now Lone-Elk says a cloud that was Lit- 
tle Paleface bewitched touched Big Buffalo with 
a tomahawk and so he died. So must Little 
Paleface go away go far, heap far away. Go 
soon right now! Lone-Elk come quick. Bye/' 

A slight rustling of the grass was followed by 
silence. For a second the young white men 
waited, their faces turned away from the shore 
as the Indian had asked. When they no longer 
heard him, however, they quickly looked about, 
but only to find themselves alone. As quietly 
as he had come and as suddenly, had the Dela- 
ware disappeared. 

Considerably perplexed and more than a 
little astonished, the boys looked at each other 
inquiringly. 

"Keal nice," said John. "It appears that 
I'm a witch and that I touched Big Buffalo with 



40 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

a tomahawk and killed him! What d'ye think 
of that, now?' ' 

A smile which was more brave than merry 
was on John's face, but Bee's brow was 
wrinkled by deep thought. 

"There's a chance that Fishing Bird has 
stretched this thing that it's not half as bad 
as he makes out," Kingdom returned at last. 
"But the worst of it is, we don't know. Hang 
it all, why did he have to rush off so after tell- 
ing just enough to make us want to know more 1 
Yet we've got to give him credit for what he 
has done, and the only safe thing is to take full 
account of all he said, take full account of all 
of- it till we find out just what it's worth, at 
least." 

"What d'ye say to going across to their town 
and finding out just what that Seneca's up to, 
Bee? Pretend, of course, that we haven't heard 
a thing unusual ; just dropped in to look at the 
Festival and say ' howdy.' ' 

But Kingdom shook his head to this proposal 
at once. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 41 

"If there's going to be trouble it will catch 
us soon enough without our setting out to hunt 
it," he said. "Fishing Bird was in dead ear- 
nest and afraid lest he be caught or suspected of 
giving warning. That's the reason he left so 
quickly. No, John, the thing for us to do is to 
make tracks in good order toward the little log 
house and keep our eyes open every minute. ' ' 

"And I killed Big Buffalo just to think that 
I killed that ugly, prowling, malicious old ras- 
cal! Faith, 'twould make me laugh if if 

John's musing exclamation was unfinished. 
With a swift stroke of the paddle Kingdom sent 
the canoe sweeping through the water with sud- 
den liveliness and the lad who, under the 
name of "Little Paleface," must answer to the 
charge of witchcraft, could only seize a paddle, 
also, to use as a rudder and likewise assist in 
hurrying the light bark craft onward. 

Heading into a long arm of the lake extend- 
ing northward, the boys touched shore at last at 
a little point of high ground which projected 
through the mass of rank grass, reeds and 



42 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

bushes bordering the water at this point, and 
continued on foot among trees and underbrush. 
Kingdom shouldered the canoe while John car- 
ried their rifle, paddles and goodly string of 
fish. 

There was not much opportunity to talk and 
each lad was busy with his own thoughts. How- 
ever, when after a long walk overland they 
reached a considerable' stream, by the aid of. 
which they could complete their journey in the 
more comfortable manner the canoe -afforded 
them, John was not long in breaking the 
silence. 

"Ree," he said, with rather more earnestness 
and show of temper than was usual with him, 
"I shouldn't be surprised if they come for me 
tonight. Confound the ignorant beasts ! ' ' 

"I've been thinking so," was the answer, 
"and I'm afraid they will." 

"The cabin ain't in as good shape as it used 
to be; the logs dry and the roof drier! And 
honest to goodness, Bee, I don't see what we're 
going to do about it. I can't help but feel but 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 43 

that I'm to blame for the mess, somehow, 
though what I ever did to get Lone-Elk down 
on me I don't know, blamed if I do!" 

"Why, you're nothing of the kind, John! 
Get all such foolishness out of your head. And 
what we're going to do about it is to be ready 
for them! I guess we can take care of our- 
selves now that we know what's likely to hap- 
pen. Actually, the thing that bothers me most 
is just the thought of where we'd have landed 
but for Fishing Bird letting us know. If ever 
there was an all white heart in a red skin, it's 
his, and there's no doubt about it." 

"And tomorrow we will find out from some 
one from the village or other Indians that hap- 
pen to pass, just how the land lays that is, if 
if we don't find out sooner," John replied with 
a grim smile. "And Big Buffalo's dead! I 
can hardly believe it, by thunder! I guess it 
was the Seneca that killed him, if anybody did. 
Don't you s'pose Lone-Elk killed him, Eee?" 

"Can't tell. Off-hand I'd say it couldn't 
have been any one else. If's been common talk 



44 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

this long while that Lone-Elk and Big Buffalo 
didn't hitch up worth a hill o' beans, but and 
hang it all, it's this that makes the whole thing 
so bad a mess we simply don't know." 

This phase of the curious situation in which 
they found themselves this air of mystery and 
uncertainty connected with the report and 
warning which had reached them, afforded a 
more fertile subject for discussion by the two 
boys than did the question of their own per- 
sonal safety. The latter was a matter which 
must await developments, and neither boy yet 
realized how serious the situation was. Their 
quickly made agreement to hold the fort and 
face the trouble bravely had, for the time, dis- 
posed of that question. 

But the death of the Delaware who had 
always been so hostile to them, and the mysteri- 
ous trick of fate by which, though dead, he was 
still the direct cause of trouble coming just 
when all their plans were going forward so 
smoothly, and just when they were in every way 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 45 

getting along so comfortably, gave occasion for * 
much speculation and exchange of ideas. 

"It's not so hard to understand why Lone- 
Elk should want to get rid of us and to make 
trouble for us," said Kingdom reflectively, 
"because all summer he has been talking war 
and stirring things up generally. ' ' 

"And even hinting that we were sending 
word of what all the Delawares were doing 
straight to Mad Anthony at Fort Pitt," John 
broke in warmly. "Fishing Bird it was that 
told us that, too." 

"Still I'd like to know just what took Big 
Buffalo off his pins," was Kee's reply, and so 
the conversation continued with no conclusion 
being reached excepting only that there was 
going to be trouble and it must be met and faced 
just as it had been confronted and finally over- 
come so many times before. 

It may have been, indeed, most likely was, 
the very fact that always in the past they had 
come out of the most perilous difficulties with- 
out permanent injury, which made the two boys 



i6 THE TRAIL OF THH SBNBCA 

slow to appreciate the gravity of their present 
position a position of the greatest danger ; far 
from all human assistance and with all the 
Indians who hitherto had been their friends 
now turned against them. 

The little house of logs perched on the east- 
ern bluff directly above the river would no 
doubt have seemed a very lonesome spot and 
insecure enough to other eyes, as the boys 
approached it in the autumn twilight, but not so 
to them. With its surroundings of small but 
well cultivated fields in the valley below, its 
big, comfortable looking woodpile at the edge of 
the woods and the cheerful welcome of Neb and 
Phoebe, their two horses, whinnying their 
greeting from the rude log stable, it was a 
pleasure to them to be safely there once more. 

It was home. The stout log walls would soon 
shut out the darkness and, they believed, the 
danger, holding them snug and warm with the 
firelight and the pleasant smell of their cook- 
ing supper within. 

John looked after the horses at the barn while 



THE TRAIL OF THE 'SENECA 47 

Kingdom built up the fire in the cabin and soon 
had the fish deliciously frying and several 
extremely generous slices of coarse corn bread 
toasting' on the hearth. A pot of maple tea 
(maple sugar boiled in water an Indian 
drink) simmered from its hook above the blaze, 
and a bark tray of nuts, cracked and ready for 
dessert, was in waiting on the table. 

" Better have everything shut tight/' sug- 
gested Eee as John came in. 

"That's what I've done," was the answer, 
"not a knot-hole open. But well, now that we 
are home and so jolly comfortable, does it not 
seem to you just as if Fishing Bird's coming 
and all that he said was just some nasty dream 
and not really so at all? Does to me. I don't 
forget it for more than a minute at a time, but 
I feel as if I'd wake up pretty soon and find I'd 
just been sleeping on my back. ' ' 

"Well, it's too bad," was the answer. 

"We've got too much else to do to be both- 
ered this way," John returned. 

"I've been thinking," Eee went on, "that 



48 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

Captain Pipe may give that Seneca to under- 
stand a thing or two and prove to be our 
friend again, just when we most need him, 
as he has done more than once before. Still 
we've got to look alive every minute till the 
trouble 's over, and so you put the supper on the 
table, John, and I'll just take a little look 
around the house and cast my eyes about the 
clearing for a minute." 



CHAPTER IV. 

WATCHED. 

"Peaceful as a Nanny goat," was Kingdom's 
declaration upon returning from his scouting 
expedition a quarter of an hour later, and both 
boys sat down to their evening meal feeling for 
the time quite secure. As was natural, how- 
ever, their conversation still centered upon the 
strange news and warning which had come to 
them and they discussed many plans of possible 
action. 

One thing seemed apparent; they must 
remain near the cabin or the Indians, finding it 
empty, would be very likely, under Lone-Elk's 
leadership, to destroy it. Except to stay where 
they were, therefore, and face the Seneca and 
his charges, only one course was open. This was 
to take their horses and such goods as could be 
carried, and seek the protection of Fort Pitt 
or Gen. Wayne's army encamped near there. 

49 



50 fHE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

Of the whole evening's talk, however, but one 
thing, in addition to the plan argued at the very 
first, was settled. It was that John should be 
in readiness to make his escape if such a move 
were found necessary. It was he and he alone 
who was charged with witchcraft. Fishing Bird 
had made this plain. Eee would be in danger 
only as the friend of the ' ' witch " and it was 
unlikely, considering the friendly relations the 
boys had always sought to maintain with the 
Delawares, that harm would come to the elder 
lad unless some specific charge were lodged 
against him, or unless he should be forced into 
the fight in defense of his friend. 

The latter situation was what Eee himself 
fully expected. If there was to be trouble he 
would court his full share of it and he would not 
have thought of planning otherwise. 

Soon after supper the boys covered their fire 
with ashes, making the interior of the cabin 
completely dark ; and though they spent the suc- 
ceeding hours in conversation they watched the 
surrounding clearing from the loopholes. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 51 

Neither had much desire to sleep, but at last 
John prevailed upon Kingdom to lie down for 
awhile, and he alone remained on guard until 
nearly morning. Once he was given a lively 
thrill when a dark object emerged slowly and 
cautiously from the woods and crept toward 
the cabin. But the visitor proved to be only a 
wolf, which presently trotted away and was 
lost in the shadows again, and Jerome was well 
pleased that he had given Kingdom no chance 
to laugh by taking alarm when no danger 
threatened. 

Some time before daybreak, Ree, who had 
slept but little, arose and ordered John to bed. 
The latter reluctantly obeyed. "For," he said, 
"if a surprise is what the Seneca has in mind, 
it will be just before morning that they'll be 
most likely to come." 

But the long night passed without a disturb- 
ing sound. When Jerome bounced out of his 
bunk of blankets spread upon freshly gathered 
leaves, after troubled dreams in which Big Buf- 
falo pursued him with an upraised hatchet 



52 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

resembling a gorgeously colored sunset cloud, 
it was to find a cheerful blaze in the fireplace 
and Eee washing up the dishes left untouched 
since supper. The door stood open and the 
cool, pure air with its scent of frost-nipped 
leaves was like a tonic. The tinkle of the water 
along the banks of the river below rose music- 
ally in the almost perfect quiet prevailing in 
both the woods and clearing, and nowhere was 
there hint or sign that danger lurked near and 
nearer. 

Waiting lingering over their breakfast, 
glancing often and anxiously through the open 
door and frequently going out to scan the clear- 
ing from side to side and from end to end- 
waiting, they hardly knew for what, in the 
early morning the young settlers began to find 
time hanging heavily on their hands. 

They were not accustomed to such inactivity. 
To feel compelled to remain idle, too, when 
there were so many things they wished to be 
doing, was almost as trying as it was to bear up 
cheerfully under the constant thought that the 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 53 

next hour, the next minute, even might find 
them fighting for their very lives. 

6 i This certainly seems like a lot of foolish- 
ness, " said John, at last impatiently. 

"But seeming and being are two altogether 
different things," Eee answered. "Still, it's 
not very comfortable or enjoyable, I'll admit. 
But what else can we be doing!" 

' ' Some one 's coming ! ' ' exclaimed John in an 
undertone, instantly changing the trend of both 
his own thoughts and Bee's. He was standing 
out where he could command a view of the river, 
while Kingdom sat in the doorway. 

Quietly and with an appearance of unconcern 
Eee rose and went forward. Looking in the 
direction John in a whisper indicated, he saw 
three half -naked savages two hundred yards or 
more up the stream. They were hastily drag- 
ging a canoe out of the water and up onto the 
bank opposite that on which the cabin stood. 

"Holler at them! Sing out something!" 
John urged, looking toward the Indians again 
himself. Not to attract their notice he had at 



54 THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 

first pretended he did not see them. " Blest if 
I know any of them!" he added, looking more 
closely. 

Already the redskins were well up on the 
river bank and two of them had lifted the canoe 
up to their shoulders. 

"I can't make out why they are leaving the 
water in that way," Eee answered. " Maybe 
we can find out. Ho, there ! Howdy, brothers ! ' ' 

Kingdom's voice was clear and strong. There 
could be no doubt of the Indians having heard 
him, but the only effect of his words, appar- 
ently, was to send them hurrying into the 
woods the faster and in another second they 
had disappeared from sight. 

"TJmph!" Kingdom ejaculated wonderingly, 
"I believe they're afraid of you, John, afraid 
to sail down past us! But you can't .tell much 
about it, either. It may be they thought they'd 
find us gone and were taken by surprise to find 
out otherwise." 

"Well, it shows one thing, we never saw such 
a queer piece of business before, and it simply 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 55 

proves that there's something wrong and most 
likely it's just what Fishing Bird told us, 7 ' John 
answered, pretty soberly. 

"Yes, it proves that there's something up, 
sure, and I guess we're both tired of waiting to 
find out more about it," said Kingdom decis- 
ively. "So I'll tell you what we'll do: Just 
you keep yourself safe somewhere and I'll ride 
Phoebe over to the Delaware town and find out 
all about it. We '11 surely get no news, good or 
bad, from Indians happening to go by if they 
all break into the woods on the far side of the 
river, before getting here !" 

"Bee, you've told me a thousand times, if 
you've told me once, to be prudent. Now how 
about being prudent yourself? We'd better 
wait ! We '11 get some word, yet. ' ' 

Kingdom made no answer at once, but he was 
still thinking of the plan he had so impulsively 
proposed and the more he pondered the more it 
appealed to him. Then he began to give John 
the benefit of his thoughts began to argue that 
they could not afford to wait indefinitely, with 



56 THH TRAIL OF THH SHNHCA 

only their supposition that they would be 
attacked as a reason; began to point out that 
the time to win the favorable attention of Cap- 
tain Pipe was before fighting took place, not 
afterward ; began to regret that he had not gone 
to the town of the Delawares earlier. But he 
would not admit that he himself would be in 
danger, though ever so anxious lest John should 
not properly take care of himself in his absence. 

As usual, Kingdom had his way, though in 
this case it might well be questioned whether his 
was the right way, all things considered, and 
especially in view of what happened afterward. 

With a final word of caution to John to keep 
himself safe by staying within easy reach of the 
cabin's thick walls, Kingdom mounted the docile 
mare, given them by Theodore Hatch, the 
Quaker, and set off at a gallop. It was a de- 
lightfully warm, sunny autumn day and but for 
the load upon his spirits the daring young 
rider, dashing in and out among the trees, 
where the rough trail crooked and curved, would 
have been buoyantly happy. The ground was 



THE TRAIL OF THB SENECA 57 

carpeted with freshly fallen leaves. The foli- 
age of the underbrush was still scarcely touched 
by the frost, and the cawing of the crows and 
chatter of numerous smaller birds imparted a 
feeling as if life were a long, bright holiday. 

Still, Eee could not rid his mind of the sense 
of danger which, like a shadow, followed always 
closely with him, and he turned over and over in 
his thoughts plan after plan for laying the 
whole cause of his visit clearly before Captain 
Pipe, and asking his interference. 

Fresh and active, Phoebe kept a steady, rapid 
gallop, wherever the overhanging branches 
would permit such speed, and in but little more 
than an hour Kingdom drew rein within a short 
walk of the Indian town. 

It was Eee 's intention to ascertain as fully as 
possible just what the Delawares were doing, 
and then, if the situation were not too serious, 
ride up to and among the scattered collection 
of huts as boldly and freely as he would have 
done on any other occasion. 

But his pause to reconnoiter was fortunate. 



58 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

He had left the portage trail, an extension of 
which led to the village, and sheltered himself 
among some small, low trees thickly growing 
between the path and the lake. Dismounting, 
he listened closely but heard no sound. Even 
the Indian town must be very quiet, he thought, 
that not so much as a voice or the bark of a dog 
was heard. However, he slipped the bridle rein 
over Phoebe's head and hung it loosely upon a 
short, projecting branch, preparatory to going 
forward to investigate on foot. 

A footstep, light as a feather, but instantly 
caught by his quick ear, made Eee start. Over 
his shoulder he saw, half hidden by some bushes, 
a face turned toward him and a hand upraised 
in a way commanding silence. 

"Gentle Maiden!" He spoke the name in an 
undertone, which showed both his surprise and 
his friendly feeling for the one addressed. 

"I heard the hoofs of your horse," said the 
Indian girl, drawing stealthily nearer and in the 
same manner looking all about her. ' ' My Pale- 
face brother's friend he is not here." Her 



THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 59 

words seemed to put a question she feared to 
more directly ask, and Kingdom realized at 
once, if he had ever doubted before, that the 
warning from Fishing Bird was not without 
most serious reason. 

While the young white man hesitated to 
speak, not knowing just how much he dared let 
the daughter of Captain Pipe understand that 
he knew, she continued: 

' ' My Paleface brother is in danger. Big Buf- 
falo was found dead and Lone-Elk, the stranger 
from afar, has said a witch has done it killed 
Big Buffalo with a witch's hatchet that leaves 
no mark. Lone-Elk says the witch is Little 
Paleface, the friend of my brother here, says 
he saw Little Paleface, bewitched, strike the 
Delaware down. Even now have Lone-Elk and 
some others gone to seize him." 

"And Captain Pipe, your father does Cap- 
tain Pipe let them do this?" Eee asked, trying 
to remain calm. 

"The custom is that the witch must die," the 
girl made answer, turning her eyes away. 



60 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

1 i Gentle Maiden, you know that John Jerome 
you know that Little Paleface is no witch; 
that he no more killed Big Buffalo than you 
did." Kingdom's voice was half angry in its 
impatient earnestness. 

' ' The customs of the Indians are not the cus- 
toms of the white people, " the girl made 
answer. "Lone-Elk is powerful. What Gentle 
Maiden believes would be as dipping water 
from the lake yonder with a cup making no 
difference one way, no difference another." 

"But Captain Pipe knows better, Gentle 
Maiden. ' ' 

"Hopocon my father, that you call Captain 
Pipe wants none of the Paleface teachings. 
When the missionaries told Gentle Maiden long 
ago there were no witches, he only pitied them 
that they knew no better. ' ' 

"But" 

"No, no !" the girl broke out hurriedly. "My 
Paleface brother must not wait talking here. 
That which is, must be. Not long has Lone-Elk 
been gone. By riding fast the White Fox can 



THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 61 

reach his cabin before the coming of the Seneca, 
and with Little Paleface soon be far away 
where Lone-Elk will not find them. Haste! 
Gentle Maiden has done all she can. Paleface 
brother must not remember who has told him 
this, but oh, he must remember what he has 
heard! Hurry, hurry, now, or " 

"I'll go, Gentle Maiden, I'll go. If I can 
ever pay back the kindness you have done both 
John and me, I'll not be slow to do it, you may 
be sure. But it's a downright shame no, what 
I mean is that you need never fear anyone will 
so much as suspect that you told me this or any- 
thing. Good-bye, good-bye." 

With such feverish anxiety and haste did Kee 
speak, now that he was bent only on flying to 
John's rescue, he scarce knew what he said; 
but in a trice he was in the saddle. And yet 
quickly as he moved, when he turned to give a 
parting nod the Indian girl was gone. 

Long familiarity with the woods had made 
the beautiful, intelligent mare, Phoebe, almost 
as free and light-footed among the trees and 



62 THE TRAIL OF THE SBNBCA 

brush and rough ground, often broken by 
rougher roots and fallen branches, as a deer. 
Kingdom placed all dependence in his horse's 
ability to avoid or clear every obstruction and 
urged the gentle creature to the utmost, pay- 
ing little heed to anything save to escape the 
limbs of trees overhead as he hastened on. He 
had at once concluded that Lone-Elk and his 
band were undoubtedly traveling toward the 
cabin by the route to the east of the lake and 
the swamp which bounded a considerable por- 
tion of it, for otherwise he must have met them. 
He knew that they could easily have heard him 
approaching and hidden themselves until he 
passed, but long training had made his ears 
sharp and his eyes the same. Maybe he had this 
time, however, placed too much dependence in 
them. 

"Anyhow, we'll soon know, my pet," he mur- 
mured with teeth clenched, and Phoebe seemed 
to understand. 

Out upon the bluffs above the river, into the 
open for a moment, then down the precipitous 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 63 

hills and across the water at a shallow place 
horse and rider went, and, emerging soon from 
the woods again, were in the natural clearing 
the clearing which had originally tempted the 
boy pioneers to locate here. 

All was quiet. The cabin stood like a sentry 
at rest on the high bank rising abruptly from 
the river, then sloping down on all sides away 
from it. The yellow, autumn sunlight made the 
whole scene appear even drowsily tranquil. A 
sense of relief came to Kingdom, and he even 
felt chagrined that he had been so decidedly dis- 
turbed. 

Still it was strange that John did not show 
himself. Perhaps the exceeding quiet all about 
was, after all, fraught with greatest danger. 
Perhaps but Eee was at the foot of the slope 
now and his mind had scarcely time to present 
another thought before he was up the hill, and 
throwing himself from the horse, quickly en- 
tered the open door of the low log house. 

' i John ! " he called in a low tone and a little 



64 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

catch in his throat which he could not control, 
gave his voice a tremulous quaver. ' ' John ! ' ' 

"Yes, Bee;" the answer was scarcely more 
than a whisper, "I'm up here in the loft, and 
listen ! You can hear me V ' 

" Every word." 

"Don't act surprised or excited or show that 
you have found out or heard anything, for 
they're watching now Lone-Elk and a pack of 
Delawares have surrounded the clearing. IVe 
been peeking through a crack, watching 'em 
half an hour or more." 



CHAPTER V. 

IN DRIPPING RAIN AND DARKNESS. 

With what consternation Kingdom received 
the startling intelligence John's words conveyed 
would never have been guessed from his actions. 
He tossed his rough, squirrel-skin cap on the 
bunk, which was a bed by night and a lounge by 
day, and sat down, wiping the perspiration from 
his forehead. 

"They're after me, I s'pose, Ree, blame 
'em!" Jerome went on in the same half 
whisper. "I just happened to be up here paw- 
ing over some of the skins stored away so long, 
and got a glimpse of the rascals among the 
trees. So I've been watching ever since, and I 
don't want you to think I crawled up here to 
hide. Just so much as hint at such a thing and 
I'll" 

John did not say what he would do, but see- 
ing how he hated being found in a position 
which might be taken as a reflection upon his 

65 



66 THE TRAIL OF 'THE SENECA 

courage, Ree was considerably tempted to sug- 
gest that maybe lie himself had better get under 
the bed. But it was no time for joke-making 
and the facetious thought had no more than 
occurred to him than, unspoken, it was forgot- 
ten. 

"Stay up there, John, old boy; see every- 
thing you can. I'll stroll out and put Phoebe in 
the lean-to and gape around some in a natural 
sort of way myself. The whole business looks 
mighty bad. "What Fishing Bird said is all 
true ; I found out that much. I '11 tell you about 
it when I come in. ' ' 

If John Jerome had been a lad easily alarmed 
or one likely to fall a ready victim to a too lively 
imagination, Return Kingdom would certainly 
have thought that he had done so in this case 
when, after unsaddling the mare and tying her 
in her stall, he sat down in the open doorway of 
the cabin and with apparent indifference 
scanned the clearing from end to end, without 
seeing the slightest sign of the Indians' pres- 
ence. 



THE TRAIL OF THB SBNBCA 67 

With his elbow on his knee, his head upon his 
hand, as if he were merely resting, he continued 
to watch the wooded boundary most intently 
from between the fingers which concealed his 
eyes. He had little fear that the Indians would 
fire upon him from some place of concealment 
among the trees ; the distance was too great. A 
white hunter might easily have brought down 
a deer at the same number of yards with an ex- 
ceptionally heavy charge in his long-barreled 
rifle, but the Eedskins, as Eee well knew, usu- 
ally loaded with so little powder, owing to its 
scarcity with them, no doubt, that he had little 
to fear in thus exposing himself so long as the 
enemy came no nearer than the edge of the 
woods. 

"You're downright sure you 'saw them, 
John?" inquired Kingdom, in a low voice, ris- 
ing and entering. 

"There he goes ! There did you see that?" 
came an excited undertone from Jerome as if 
in answer. 



68 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

Instantly Kingdom looked out but he saw 
nothing. 

"I vow! I think it was the Seneca!" John 
whispered. "He ran from the big beech near 
the patch to the clump of little trees at the left. 
Guess he thought no one was watching but you, 
and darted out when your back was turned. ' ' 

" I '11 stay back out of sight a bit, and you look 
sharp. Maybe we can make out what they're 
up to," Kingdom replied. Then, to lead the 
savages to suppose that their presence was not 
suspected, Eee went about making a bright fire 
as if to prepare dinner, and soon the smoke 
from the cabin chimney conveyed to the crouch- 
ing redskins in hiding along the clearing's edge 
the very impression he wished them to receive. 

Kingdom spent half an hour, a long half 
hour of suspense and anxious thoughts in put- 
ting the room to rights, busying himself in a 
dozen different ways, while John peered closely 
from the crack, to see through which his eyes 
had already been strained so long they ached 
severely. Still he saw nothing. Whether the 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 69 

savages were only extremely wary or whether, 
as the boys fervently hoped, they had slipped 
away and gone as silently as they came could 
not be known, and continued vigilance was the 
only key to their safety. 

All day John Jerome remained concealed in 
the loft, watching almost constantly from the 
narrow crevice which permitted him to see with- 
out being seen. All day Return Kingdom went 
about from the cabin into the lean-to barn, from 
the barn into the cabin again, and in and out 
of the open door a hundred times on one pre- 
text and another, doing his best to make his 
every movement seem composed and natural. 

He was certain in his own mind that the 
savages were watching for John. Perhaps they 
expected to see him in some fantastic and witch- 
like shape, see him change from a cloud to 
human form, or turn himself into some wild 
beast. 

Once a wandering crow flew into the clearing 
and circled idly over the little cornfield. As 
it flew down to a shock of corn, both boys 



TO THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

chanced to notice it and both saw, too, a sud- 
den, rapid movement, and then another and 
another, within the fringe of the woods. Were 
they the dancing shadows of wind-tossed 
branches, or were the Seneca and his band still 
near? Quick as the movements were, little as 
the boys had seen, they knew the answer to the 
question which occurred to them and thanked 
the vagrant crow . for the information he had 
been the means of giving them. 

" Still, " said John, "if those fool Delawares 
get it into their heads that that crow is me, and 
like as not Lone-Elk may tell 'em some such 
thing, it'll just make the whole lot of them be- 
lieve more than ever that I am a sure enough 
witch." 

Full well did Kingdom realize how very cor- 
rect John's observation probably was. He was 
confident that it was the crow which occasioned 
the moving about among the hiding Indians, 
the flitting shadows both he and John had seen. 
He made no answer to his friend's remark at 
once, but turned over again in his mind a plan 



THE TRAIL OF THE SBNBCA 71 

which he had been considering all day. It 
seemed wise. He conld think of nothing better. 

' 1 John, ' ' said Bee at last, ' l if they stay away 
till it's dark enough to do it, how would you 
like to slip away and go up among the rocky 
ledges for a few days?" 

"Hide?" Jerome demanded rather contemp- 
tuously. 

"Why, no! There's no need to call it 'hid- 
ing," Kingdom answered tactfully. "Just stay 
away from the cabin for awhile and give me a 
chance to find out what killed Big Buffalo and 
get the witch idea out of these crazy Delawares ' 
minds." 

"But, don 't you " 

"I know what you're going to say. It is, 
don't I think that the fact of your being away 
will make the Indians all the more certain about 
this witchcraft business make them think 
you've skedaddled! We can't help what they 
think. AVe do know, though, that they're after 
you and either we've got to pack up and light 
out, or get this witch idea out of their heads. 



72 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

Now I think I can do it, in spite of Gentle 
Maiden's discouraging talk,, if I only have a 
chance. 7 ' 

On one point, as the discussion continued, 
hardly above a whisper, both boys agreed. It 
was that some time during the night the Indians 
would visit the cabin. They might come as if 
in a friendly way just to learn whether Little 
Paleface was there; or they might make a de- 
termined attack. The redskins' supposition 
that Eee was alone, confirmed by all that they 
had seen during the day, however, would prob- 
ably suggest to them an apparently friendly, 
but in reality spying, visit. 

In whatever way the lads viewed their situa- 
tion they found so much of uncertainty sur- 
rounding them that at best they must take a 
chance. 

Often and often was it this way in pioneer 
days. Every important movement was encom- 
passed by more or less danger. If a settler 
needed but to go to mill, or to some frontier 
trading place for supplies, he confronted many 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 73 

uncertainties and often left his family in 
danger, too. Danger was always present, and 
although only the foolhardy were disregardful 
entirely, even the most prudent came by con- 
stant association to take it as a matter of 
course. 

The latter was the feeling of the two boys 
from Connecticut. If they had been less ac- 
customed to the alarms of the wilderness, they 
would, in the pinch in which they now found 
themselves, most probably have sought safety 
at once at Fort Pitt or perhaps at some of the 
Ohio river settlements. If they had done so 
their story would have been a very different 
one. 

Though he had but reluctantly agreed to 
Eee's proposal, not wishing to leave his friend 
to face the situation alone, John found so much 
to think about in the prospect of spending the 
night and it might be many nights and days- 
alone in the woods, that the reflection that he 
also would be in danger was almost comforting. 
He tliought with dread of the long and lonely 



74 THE TRAIL OP THE SHNHCA 

hours of darkness without even a camp-fire's 
comfort, but somehow there was something 
quite interesting about it all, too. Perhaps it 
was the change and the excitement, as he 
planned how stealthily he would steal through 
the woods, that appealed to him. Certain it is 
that he found himself anxious to be gone, and 
watching the deepening shadows almost impa- 
tiently lest something happen to prevent his de- 
parture before thick darkness came. ' His great- 
est fear lay in the fact that on three sides at 
least the cabin was, in all probability, still sur- 
rounded by Indians. On the fourth or west side 
was the river. How was he to reach the open 
woods! How reach the rocky ledges to the 
north and east, among whose deep ravines and 
clefts and long, narrow passages and shallow 
caves he would remain until the rage of the 
savages had passed! 

A bank of clouds, wide as the eye could see 
above the treetops, had come up out of the 
southwest to meet the sinking sun and, when at 
last the shadows had filled the valley, darkness 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 75 

came on rapidly. The wind rose, too, and quite 
before its approach was suspected, a drizzling 
fall rain had set in, which gave promise of con- 
tinuing all night. 

The cabin door had stood open all day, but 
Bee felt he could close it now without exciting 
the suspicions of those who watched. As he 
did so, John clambered quickly* down from the 
low loft and slipped noiselessly through the 
low opening connecting the lean-to stable and 
the single room of the cabin itself. How well 
he remembered the good purpose the hole had 
served once before ! He remarked to Eee about 
it with a nervous little laugh, recalling that live- 
ly battle of their early days in the woods and 
how nearly fatal to them both it had been. But 
Kingdom told him to make haste; that they 
could not know who was watching now, and in 
the darkness there might be Indians even with- 
in hearing of a whisper. 

Eee had improved the opportunity before 
night came on to fill John's powder horn and 
bullet pouch and to pack in the form of a knap- 



76 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

sack for him a blanket and a supply of dried 
meat and bread. These, with Jerome's rifle, 
he had previously passed through the "cat 
hole,' 7 as it was called, into the stable; but now 
that John had followed them, he suddenly found 
himself wishing that he had planned otherwise. 
Yet confident all was for the best, though the 
wind never had had so much of awful homesick- 
ness in its mournful sounds before, though the 
rain never before had beaten with such seeming 
tearful sorrow upon the roof, he whispered 
hastily : 

"Be careful, old boy. Look for news by the 
day after tomorrow if you hear nothing before, 
and be sure that everything will be all right in 
a few days at most." 

"And you come where I am the minute you're 
in danger, mind," John answered. "Good-bye, 
Bee, I'm going along the river's edge. It'll be 
easy to get past anybody or anything tonight. 
Good-bye." 

Eee would have whispered another word of 
caution and of farewell, but he realized that 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 77 

John was gone felt it in his very bones that he 
was alone, alone; and the autumn wind blew 
more mournfully than ever; the patter of the 
raindrops sounded twice as melancholy as be- 
fore. 

For many minutes Kingdom intently listened, 
then throwing wide the cabin door, made a pre- 
tense of emptying just beyond the doorstep the 
wooden, trough-like bowl which did duty as a 
wash basin. Though he made a brave show of 
unconcern, his heart beat hard and fast. But 
he was glad to see how totally dark the night 
was. One must have been very close indeed if 
he had seen John emerge from the darkness of 
the lean-to into the equal blackness without, he 
thought. Surely the Indians, if still watching, 
would never suspect him going out that way, 
and not having seen him at all would be very 
certain that he had been gone for a full day at 
least, should they call at the cabin and still not 
discover him. 

Despite the storm, the night was warm for 
so late in the season, and Kingdom was glad to 



78 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

have the door ajar while he waited for the first 
step which would tell him of the Indians' com- 
ing. He had no doubt they would come, unless 
their general plan was quite different from 
what he supposed it to be. Still, time dragged 
on bringing no tidings no sound but the drip, 
drip of the rain, the sad sighing of the wind 
and now and then the rattle of some loose 
puncheon on the roof, moved by a passing gust 
more lively than the rest. 

Again and again Eee mentally computed the 
distance John had probably traveled in the time 
that he had been gone. l i Now he must be just 
about at the foot of the bluff and creeping along 
the water's edge, shielded by the higher bank 
of the river," he thought at first. "Now he 
must be half-way to the woods. Now, if nothing 
has happened, he is past the worst of the danger 
and safe among the trees." 

And so thinking, encouraged by the absence 
of any alarming sound, Kingdom breathed 
easier, and was glad John had gone along the 
river instead of trying to cross the stream just 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 79 

at the cabin 's rear and so gain the cover of the 
trees more quickly, as he had originally pro- 
posed, and would have done but for the possi- 
bility that even on the opposite bank of the 
stream there were watchers in hiding. 

But safe and certain as John's escape seemed 
to Eee, the truth was that during these past few 
minutes that young man had been in decidedly 
greater danger of losing his scalp than he cared 
ever to be again. 

Creeping on hands and knees close to the wall 
whose dark background would help conceal his 
movements, John had made his way out of the 
barn and around to the rear of the cabin. Al- 
most flat on his stomach, he drew himself slowly 
along the bluff and so descended to the valley 
where the river bank was not nearly so steep 
and comparatively low, rising only a few feet 
above the level of the water. Crawling cau- 
tiously along the narrow strip of slippery beach 
between the river's edge and the bank, he pro- 
gressed steadily toward the woods. Often he 
paused to listen, and even when he moved on 



80 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

again he strained his ears and tried his utmost 
to see; but so deep was the darkness that, ex- 
cept for the denser black wall in the distance, 
which he felt rather than saw was the woods, 
he was certain that his situation, so far as see- 
ing went, would be the same with his eyes shut 
as with them wide open. 

In one of his pauses to hearken closer than 
he could do when moving, John thought he 
heard a low, hoarse "Ugh!" an inarticulate 
sound, but one which seemed to express impa- 
tience, weariness, and "What's the use!" com- 
bined. He fancied he could see the shrug of 
the Indian's shoulders who, he was sure, was 
responsible for the guttural noise. For a long 
time the boy did not move. The rain came drip- 
ping down almost noiselessly. The wind whis- 
pered ever so softly in the lower parts of the 
valley and seemed to make no sound whatever 
save in the woods. To John it seemed that he 
waited an hour, though in fact it was but a few 
minutes. Over his shoulder he could see the 
ray of light from the cabin's open door. How 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 81 

far away it looked! Still that was fortunate. 
He would not have had it nearer for a great 
deal. Now he would try again. Softly softly 
he raised one hand from the ground; softly, 
softly he raised a foot. 

' ' Ugh ! ' ' Again it came ; scarcely audible was 
the sound but the fierce howl of a wolf directly 
in his ears would not have startled, and fright- 
ened more the young white man crouching by 
the water. 

The danger seemed nearer now not more 
than three yards from him, John was certain 
perhaps only two. He felt that he could put out 
his hand and touch the place from which it 
came. Again he was quiet, so quiet that he 
breathed in noiseless little gasps, a thing so 
trying on his throat and lungs that he would 
have felt as comfortable had he tried not to 
breathe at all. 

But soon came another sound. Instantly 
John recognized it the stealthy dipping of the 
paddle and low murmur of water against the 
nose of a canoe. Where was the canoe headed? 



82 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

That was the question. Toward him! Either 
that or up stream. The murmur of the cur- 
rent indicated that the craft ran not with it but 
against it. Now he heard the canoe touch the 
half submerged grass close in to shore. It was 
just abreast of him and within two arms ' length. 
Now it grated ever so lightly upon the grass 
which, before the fall rains, had been quite up 
out of the water. 

Again light as a feather came the dip of the 
paddle, again the soft murmur of the water 
barely heard above the quiet, even patter of the 
rain. At the same moment John felt himself 
slipping. Slowly the wet ground was giving 
way beneath him. He must move. It was a 
case of two dangers, either stand still and slide 
violently into the river, or move on a step and 

He must run the risk. Faster and faster he 
was sliding down. He must step quickly, and 
step quickly he did. He made no noise himself, 
he thought, but some pebble or bit of earth, 
loosened by his movement, rolled down and 
dropped with a splash into the water. 



THE TRAIL OF XHH SBNHCA 83 

Again came the muttered ' i Ugh ! ' ' something 
lower than before, and oh ! Heaven be praised ! 
no longer abreast but some yards from him. 

Again came the low dipping of the paddle. 
They were patroling the river for him, John 
knew now ; but they would not find him. They 
might paddle silently up and down the whole 
night long, if they wished. In fact he rather 
hoped they would, and chuckled inwardly at the 
thought. 



CHAPTER VI. 

"THE WITCH IS HIDDEN HERE." 

That part of Lone-Elk's band which had been 
appointed to hide along the river bank through- 
out the day and paddle up and down in the 
densest shadows of the shores when night had 
come, did not keep up their search as long as 
John had hoped they would, when he silently 
chuckled over the thought of their waste of 
time and effort. 

When they passed so close to the lad they 
sought, not more than one of them suspecting 
how very near he was, the Delawares were clos- 
ing in on the cabin, together with others on 
shore. Lone-Elk had given the signal, by pass- 
ing the word quietly along the irregular line 
his braves made around the clearing, after wait- 
ing all day long. He hoped to find the "witch'! 
in hiding in the little cabin. Even if he did not, 
he would impress the Delawares with the seem- 
84 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 85 

ing truth of the charge he had made against the 
young white man by showing that he was away 
from home, engaged, presumably, in some of 
his dreadful witch's work. The Seneca had, 
moreover, a plan in mind which made a visit to 
the home of the young Palefaces desirable from 
his point of view, whether the one they sought 
should be discovered or not, and now would be 
as good a time as any for the carrying out of his 
purpose. 

While the Indians were yet at a distance, 
Kingdom, watching and listening in the cabin, 
heard their approach. He had kept his rifle 
close at hand all day, and now he casually 
picked the weapon up and with a show of idle 
carelessness polished its glossy stock with a 
bit of buckskin. 

The savages came silently on, apparently 
without effort to keep from being heard. King- 
dom was aware that they kept their line spread 
out so as to form a semicircle which, together 
with the river, would wholly enclose the little 
log house. His sharp ears assured him that 



86 TtiE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

this was done, but it was with well acted sur- 
prise that he sprang lightly up and stepped to- 
ward the door when Lone-Elk and one other 
Indian showed themselves at last within the 
dim ray of light shining from the fireplace. 

"Come in! It's wet and bad outside! Bring 
them all in!" he called pleasantly, meeting the 
Seneca at the threshold and glancing out as if 
he plainly saw the whole line of Indians out- 
side, which in fact he did not see at all. 

"White Fox speaks kindly," answered Lone- 
Elk, calling Eee by the name the Delawares had 
long ago given him. 

Only the Seneca and the one other Indian 
drew near the lighted space about the door, 
however, and these two now entered as if they 
were quite by themselves. 

"Why should I not?" Eee answered to the 
Seneca's remark, noticing as he did so, how 
searchingly both the savages were looking about 
the cabin's single room. "We, my white 
brother and myself have had the friendship of 
the Delawares always." 



THE TRAIL OF THE SHNBCA 87 

"It is as the white brother says," said the 
second Indian, a powerful fellow whom King- 
dom now recognized as a brave from the Dela- 
ware town on the Muskingum, and whom he had 
seen a number of times before. As he spoke, 
this Indian looked at Lone-Elk inquiringly. 
Perhaps the Seneca considered his words a 
challenge. At any rate he said sharply : 

"Where is the other white brother! Does 
the White Fox wish to hide him then, if he is 
the friend of the Delawares! Will the White 
Fox hide the witch that breathed poison breath 
upon Big Buffalo, the witch that with a hatchet 
killed a Delaware warrior, yet left no mark?" 

"What's this you say? What wild talk is 
this, Lone-Elk? Has Lone-Elk drunk of the 
firewater that he comes speaking so absurdly?" 

Kingdom spoke with a show of temper and in 
a manner distinctly creditable to the part he 
was bound to act. 

"It is the law that witches must be put to 
death," the Seneca returned vigorously. 
"Lone-Elk has said that Little Paleface with a 



88 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

witch's hatchet killed a Delaware warrior 
killed Big Buffalo. Now must the witch be 
given up to the friends of him that was killed. ' ' 

"Well, I can only tell you that the one you 
call Little Paleface is not here. He is far away 
and may not come back for some days," King- 
dom answered quietly. "Now if Lone-Elk will 
believe this, and it is the truth, he will return to 
the town of the Delawares and I will myself go 
there tomorrow to have a talk. Is it a friendly 
thing for Delaware braves to remain hidden all 
about the lodge of their Paleface brothers as 
they are doing now? Let them all come into 
the light. Let them see that my brother who is 
accused so falsely so unfairly and so unjustly 
let them see, I say, that he is not here, and we 
will plan to have a talk tomorrow. " 

Lone-Elk gave a short, fierce whoop. Instant- 
ly fifteen or more Indians rushed into the cabin, 
crowding the little room quite uncomfortably. 

"The witch is hidden," said Lone-Elk, loud- 
ly. "If the Little Paleface is here let him show 
himself." 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 89 

As Kingdom looked quickly from one to an- 
other of the Indians he observed with sorrow 
that Fishing Bird was among them. Had this 
good fellow turned against his white friends, 
too! But no, that quick friendly look as their 
eyes met was proof of his friendship still. 

There being no answer to the Seneca 's invita- 
tion to Little Paleface to show himself, except 
the grunted "Ughs !" of some of the Delawares, 
Lone-Elk sprang quickly up the ladder of poles 
and peered into the loft. Others followed his 
example, climbing up on stools or by the aid of 
the roughness of the wall. Some looked up the 
chimney. Some searched here, some there. One 
party of five or six, lighting hickory bark 
torches at the fire, went into the barn. In five 
minutes the whole cabin was turned topsy- 
turvy. 

"You see it is just as I told you in the begin- 
ning," said Kingdom in a friendly tone, but 
somewhat impatiently. ' ' Now will you not con- 
sent to a talk! Let it be in the Council House 
of the Delawares let it be any place you 



90 THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 

choose. I think I can prove to you that this 
charge of witchcraft is placed against one who 
is as true and honest as ever man could be." 

Ree was sorry to see that the Delawares 
looked to Lone-Elk to answer. He had more 
fear of this one Indian, under the circum- 
stances, than of any other half dozen warriors 
in Captain Pipe's town. 

"Let it be as the White Fox says," the Seneca 
answered. "Yet will my Paleface brother not( 
deceive himself by thinking he deceives Lone-* 
Elk. The Paleface witch but hides. If it is not 
so, let the witch come to the talk." 

Not for a second did Kingdom allow this chal- 
lenge to be unanswered. Like a flash every eye 
had turned to him; but instantly he said: 

"Will the Seneca go to Fort Pitt and there 
put Little Paleface on trial before those whose 
customs are the customs of the Palefaces? No, 
of course he will not. And just so would it not 
be fair for Lone-Elk to demand more than he 
would be willing himself to give." 

The justice of Kingdom's position was clear 




HE KEPT HIS EYES ON THE SEXEt'A I'Xt'EASI NCLY 
(See pnge 152.) 



THE TRAIL OP THH SBNECA 91 

to the majority of the Indians and he could not 
help but notice it; still Lone-Elk's reply in curt, 
surly tones was far from pleasing. 

"Yet the White Fox asks for a talk! Like 
squaws that tell one another of the worms that 
harmed the corn does the Paleface want the 
Delawares to meet together with him and speak 
idle words ! Words ! Words, that mean noth- 
ing and come to nothing. " 

With a move of his hand to his companions 
to follow, the Seneca left the cabin. Rapidly 
the other Indians marched off in single file after 
him. Fishing Bird, somehow, was the last to 
leave. As he went out of the door, he cast a 
glance of friendliness, which was also a look of 
warning, to Eee and the peace of mind of that 
young gentleman was not increased thereby. 

By no means certain that the Indians would 
not return, Kingdom sat for a long time on the 
edge of his bunk, listening and thinking. He 
had great satisfaction in knowing that John 
was comparatively safe for the time, at least, 
and thankful, indeed, that his chum's departure 



92 THE TRAIL OF THH SENECA 

had been so timely. He longed for another and 
more satisfactory talk with Fishing Bird. He 
must have such a talk, he resolved, if it could 
by any chance be arranged, before he under- 
took to show the Delawares that Big Buffalo 
had not been killed by witchcraft. Perhaps that 
friendly fellow would be able to give him the 
right clue to the whole situation. Might it not be 
he would frankly declare that it was by the hand 
of Lone-Elk, himself, that the warrior's life had 
been snuffed out? 

In his own mind Ree had little doubt concern- 
ing the true cause of Big Buffalo's death; but 
by what means the Seneca had put out of his 
way the one member of Captain Pipe's com- 
munity who openly resented his leadership 
there would most probably be a difficult ques- 
tion to answer. 

So the lonely lad sat pondering a long time ; 
how long he did not know or care. The rain 
was still falling, the wind still sighing dolefully 
when he arose at last, closed and barred the 
door, also barred the opening which served as 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 93 

a window, and removing only his moccasins lay 
down to rest. Repeatedly did he picture to his 
mind's eye John Jerome tramping slowly, 
silently through the wet leaves, among the drip- 
ping underbrush and trees, stopping often to 
get his bearings from the wind, and so making 
his weary and most lonesome way to the pro- 
tection they had agreed upon. 

Repeatedly his thoughts returned to the "big 
talk" which he must attend tomorrow; but 
sound sleep came to him at last, even while a 
crouching figure moved swiftly and stealthily 
into the clearing and paused as if in hiding be- 
hind a shock of corn the very one on which the 
crow had perched in the afternoon then stole 
on again and disappeared. 

Even as the first object appeared, another 
approached the cabin and moved to the protec- 
tion of the darker shadows of the stable. For 
a minute or two the figure stood quiet in the 
denser darkness beside the building, then 
moved cautiously toward the little cornfield as 



94 THE TRAIL OF THE SHNBCA 

if attracted by a faint rustle of corn leaves 
which seemed to come from that vicinity. 

The rain still fell in a quiet, unbroken drizzle, 
but the wind had abated and there was no rea- 
son to suppose that it caused the movement of 
the corn, which attracted the attention of the 
crouching creature. Still listening with utmost 
care, the crouching figure moved nearer to the 
spot from which the noise ensued. 

To discern any object that was without mo- 
tion, at a distance of even a few feet in the pitch 
darkness, was an impossibility ; but as the rust- 
ling of the corn ceased, the one who had been 
attracted by the sound made out a stealthy 
movement in the vicinity and instantly stood 
still. . When the darker shadow had passed be- 
yond his vision he dropped to the ground and 
listened with his ear against the wet grass and 
earth. After a time he rose and ran forward 
ever so lightly, pausing at the edge of the woods. 

Hour after hour passed. A dull gray light 
appeared on the clouds to the east. Eising then, 
and stretching himself, the silent watcher with 



THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 95 

frequent looks toward every point went directly 
to the barn built up against the white boys' 
cabin, opened the door and leaving it slightly 
ajar, sat down upon the floor in such a way that 
he could command a view of the greater part of 
the clearing. 

The opening of the door of the barn made 
Eeturn Kingdom move, sound asleep though he 
was, and directly he awoke, conscious of having 
heard some disturbing sound. What it was he 
did not know. For a time he listened, but find- 
ing that drowsiness was overcoming him, he 
roused himself with a sudden determination to 
investigate. 

Springing up quietly, Kingdom put on his 
moccasins and opening a loophole, peeped out. 
Though still very dark inside the cabin, he 
could make out principal objects in the clearing, 
and noted nothing in the least unusual. Sup- 
pressing a most sleepy yawn, he decided to 
creep into his bunk and forget his troubles in 
restful unconsciousness until broad daylight 
came. 



96 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

Very likely the noise which had wakened him 
was made by one of the horses, the lad thought. 
He peeped into the stable through a chink in 
the wall. Discovering immediately that the 
door of the lean-to was open, and remembering 
that he had closed it as usual, he was alarmed 
at once. He seized his rifle, unbarred the cabin 
door and rushed out. 

As he swung wide the door of the stable, to 
learn the cause of it not being properly closed, 
a hand was held out to him and its mate was 
raised in a sign of silence. 

Startled, Kingdom stepped back a pace, but 
before the other could speak he had recovered 
himself. 

"Fishing Bird!" he exclaimed. "What in 
the world are you doing here at such a time as 
this, Fishing Bird?" 



CHAPTER VII. 

THE SECRET LEAD MINE. 

"Listen, White Fox, listen, my Paleface 
brother, ' ? said Fishing Bird softly as he took 
Kingdom's hand and drew him gently into the 
barn ; then dropping his voice to a whisper : 

"Lone-Elk has been here. All night did Fish- 
ing Bird watch and follow him. Then Fishing 
Bird hid here for maybe Lone-Elk be coming 
back when white brother still was sleeping. 
Morning comes now. No more danger. " 

How to thank this friendly Indian Eee did 
not know. As he realized the hardship Fishing 
Bird had undergone to guard him from the wily, 
crafty Seneca, his voice trembled with emotion 
in trying to express his gratitude. Almost in 
the same breath he begged further information 
and an explanation of Lone-Elk's presence; 
asked to kno.w how, in the darkness, the Dela- 
ware had been able to watch him without being 

97 



98 THE TRAIL OF THH SENECA 

himself discovered. Where had Lone-Elk gone ? 
Why had he come at all? 

Seated on a little mound of hay, well within 
the stable yet where he could readily see out, 
and dividing his attention between the clear- 
ing and Kingdom, who sat beside him, Fishing 
Bird told his story. 

He had feared from the beginning that his 
warning to the two white boys to flee would be 
unheeded, he said, and so determined, since he 
could give them no assistance, that he would at 
least keep his eyes on Lone-Elk. The Dela- 
wares had accepted the proposal of the Seneca 
that the death of Big Buffalo be not allowed to 
break up the Harvest Festival entirely, and so 
the night of the feast day had been spent in 
merry-making, as the custom was. 

With but little rest the morning after the 
festival, however, Fishing Bird went on in his 
own simple but honest way. Lone-Elk, calling 
on as many as wished to do so to accompany 
him, had set out for the house of the Palefaces. 
It was his purpose first to locate Little Pale- 



THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 99 

face and catch him off his guard, lest by witch- 
craft he should bring harm to the Indians be- 
fore they could lay hands on him, Fishing Bird 
explained. So all day the Indians had watched 
the cabin and kept themselves hidden so that 
they would not easily be seen even if in ap- 
proaching their home the boys should come 
upon them suddenly from behind. 

Lone-Elk told the Delawares that a crow, 
which flew down in the cornfield, was almost 
certainly Little Paleface himself, and as night 
came on he assured them that the witch would 
either be found in the cabin in the natural 
form of a man or be caught trying to escape in 
the form of a bird. 

Some had asked why the witch would not 
simply become an animal or a cloud or some 
such thing and so easily evade them, but the 
Seneca's only answer to this was a growl at 
their ignorance and a hint that only children 
asked such questions. 

Much that Fishing Bird told him was so near- 
ly the same as Kingdom had previously guessed 



100 THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 

that the information was in no way surprising. 
But one thing which did surprise and interest 
him a great deal was the friendly Delaware's 
account of the escape of John Jerome. 

Fishing Bird, having no belief in Lone-Elk's 
talk of witchcraft and being anxious to aid in 
the escape, rather than the capture of the so- 
called witch, was even more intent in watching 
all that went on than were any of the others, 
Lone-Elk excepted. In this way he accounted 
for his discovery of some object beside the river 
bank in the darkness as he and two other Dela- 
wares were paddling noiselessly toward the 
cabin an object which he partially recognized, 
though none of the others so much as suspected 
its presence. Solely for the purpose of giving 
warning he had made sounds which would be 
heard and which, he was certain, had been 
heeded. 

Kee could only thank his loyal friend again 
and again and he did not hesitate to tell the 
faithful fellow that he had almost certainly 
saved John Jerome from capture. This pleased 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 101 

Fishing Bird greatly. His pleasure was quite 
equal to that of a child which is praised for some 
duty well done. 

1 'In fact," added Kingdom, putting his hand 
gratefully on the Delaware's arm, "we can 
never begin to pay you back for all you have 
done for us. But still you can help us so much 
more that I want to feel that I can depend on 
you. I won't ask anything of you which is go- 
ing to get you into trouble, and if I do, you 
must tell me. Neither do I want you to do any- 
thing or tell me anything which you do not feel 
that you can willingly do or tell. Is this fair 
and friendly, Fishing Bird?" 

The Indian thoughtfully nodded. 

"First then, why did Lone-Elk come back 
here in the night?" 

The Delaware did not know and said so. 

"I can guess that, anyhow," Kingdom went 
on. "But here's a more important question, 
Fishing Bird. Who, or what, do you think, 
killed Big Buffalo?" 

The Indian shook his head. Kingdom scarce- 



102 THE TRAIL OF THH SHNHCA 

ly knew whether he meant that he did not know 
or that he did not wish to tell. But he tried an- 
other question. 

"Was it Lone-Elk?" 

For a second or two there was no reply. 
"Yes, maybe Lone-Elk killed Big Buffalo," 
came the answer, but the tone even more than 
the words expressed doubt. 

"Well, can you tell me this, Fishing Bird: 
What is the secret of the Seneca 's power among 
the Delawares and why is he a wanderer and 
an outcast from his own nation and his own 
tribe? We all know that he is a sort of a fugi- 
tive, yet even Captain Pipe allows him the 
greatest liberty." 

"Listen," said the Indian slowly and solemn- 
ly, "Paleface brothers must see always that no 
hurt comes to Lone-Elk, the Seneca. Yes, Lone- 
Elk is hated and Lone-Elk is hunted by his own 
people; but listen, White Fox, listen to this: 
Lone-Elk and no other knows where much lead 
for bullets is hidden in the ground. To Captain 
Pipe and to all the Delawares Lone-Elk brings 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 103 

lead sometimes bullets, too always lead. No, 
no ! Lone-Elk will never show where lead comes 
from, so must no hurt come to him. Anything 
Paleface brother asks will Fishing Bird do, but 
if Lone-Elk dies who will know where lead is 
found? Lead placed in the ground by the Great 
Spirit for his children, the Delawares ; for that 
is as Lone-Elk tells them." 

Kingdom could not help smiling slightly at 
the simple earnestness of the Indian, but he was 
interested, too, greatly interested. Once or 
twice before he had heard Delawares make 
secret references to the finding of lead in the 
earth somewhere in the locality of the Cuyahoga 
river. Now he was convinced that a mine ex- 
isted, the location of which was known only to 
the scheming Seneca. 

"So that is why Captain Pipe harbors the 
fellow though he knows that his history is so 
bad," spoke Kingdom, partly to the Indian, 
partly to himself. 

"White Fox knows how all the Indians look 
always now for much powder much lead," the 



104 THE TRAIL OF THH SBNBCA 

Delaware returned. He was thinking of the 
trouble along the border and the fighting which 
was sure to follow the march of "Mad 
Anthony" Wayne's army into the Indian coun- 
try to avenge the killing of so many of St. 
Glair's men the year before. 

Kingdom read Fishing Bird's meaning easily 
as print, though never until now had he realized 
how fully the redskins were planning for the 
expected battle, nor guessed how completely 
posted they were concerning the probable ob- 
ject of the troops Wayne was assembling on 
the Ohio below Fort Pitt. 

1 ' But you followed the Seneca, Fishing Bird. 
You watched him nearly all night, you say. 
Tell me, then, if Lone-Elk must not be harmed, 
what can you do, what am I to do if he makes 
trouble? Are we to let him drive Little Pale- 
face from home and me too ? For of' course 
if my friend cannot be with me, I shall not wish 
to stay here. ' ' 

The friendly Delaware shrugged his shoul- 
ders and looked puzzled. Glancing up, however, 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 105 

and seeing that Kingdom was waiting for him 
to answer, he slowly shook his head. " Maybe 
White Fox can find how Big Buffalo died. 
Maybe Palefaces can tell Captain Pipe that and 
then Lone-Elk can talk of witches no more." 

"Yes, but what if Lone-Elk kills somebody 
before somebody can do this ? ' ' Eee inquired. 

"When Lone-Elk comes to do that then Lone- 
Elk must be killed, " Fishing Bird admitted 
rather reluctantly. But to show that he meant 
what he said, he now told at some length how 
he had followed the Seneca from the Delaware 
village all the way back to the cabin of the two 
white boys, when he found the crafty fellow 
stealing away after the return from the fruit- 
less watch and search for John Jerome the pre- 
ceding day and night. He left no room for 
doubt that he would have given Kingdom warn- 
ing of the fellow's presence if necessary; but 
Eee could not help but believe that his friend 
had also some other reason for spying upon 
Lone-Elk's movements. 

"This 'talk' I am to have with your people 



106 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

today, will it do any good, Fishing Bird?" 
Kingdom at last inquired. 

"All the Delawares ask how came Big Buf- 
falo to die, ' ' was the Indian 's only answer ; and 
presently, though Kingdom asked him to re- 
main, he slipped away, and wading the river 
at a place not usually used for crossing, quickly 
disappeared in the thick brush of the western 
bank. 

In spite of the restless night he had spent 
and his weariness and anxiety, Eee made all 
possible haste with his breakfast and morning 
work in house and barn and hastened away to 
meet John Jerome. He must carry some provi- 
sions to him and let him know all that he had 
heard before starting for the Delaware town. 

The distance to the place of meeting which 
the two boys had finally agreed upon was four 
miles or more, the spot a well hidden gully run- 
ning back from the river until it lost itself in a 
dense growth of underbrush. From the midst 
of this matted mass there sprang up a great 
hollow whitewood tree with a large opening at 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 107 

the base. The lads had once hidden some traps 
there and knew the place well. In this natural 
shelter they would be quite free from possible 
observation, and anything left there would be 
little likely to be found by straggling Indians 
hunting in the vicinity. 

With much anxiety Kingdom approached the 
meeting place. The day had come on dull and 
cloudy but still and in the vast silence of the 
leaf-carpeted forest the moist air made his 
every footfall seemingly loud and heavy. Yet 
listen as he did, even holding his breath, Eee 
heard not a sound to indicate that he would find 
John waiting for him. This was the more sur- 
prising because of Jerome 's customary careless- 
ness so far as being very quiet was concerned. 

Even when he reached the thicket in which 
the old whitewood stood, Kingdom listened in 
vain for the slightest signal to indicate that his 
coming was expected. He had had no doubt 
John would be at the place long before he him- 
self arrived. What else would he have to do 
save wait and watch! 



108 THE TRAIL OF THE SHNECA 

6 ' Covered his trail better than he usually does 
if he has been anywhere near here !" Eee ejacu- 
lated beneath his breath when, after making the 
entire circuit of the mass of underbrush, he 
found nothing. Heavy hearted, he sat down 
with his back to a large maple to wait. 

Now what Kingdom should have done, of 
course, was to make his investigation thorough 
before he concluded that John had not come. 
Ordinarily he would have done so would have 
gone to the bottom of the subject before he 
reached a final conclusion ; but as many another 
has done before and since he let a peck of 
troubles become greater still by shouldering 
some with which he might much better not have 
burdened himself, taking for granted, as it were, 
that trouble was his portion. 

It was and is a bad thing to do. The fact was 
that while Kingdom waited on and on, trying 
not to worry, but thinking very unhappy 
thoughts indeed, John Jerome, curled among 
some dry leaves in the base of the great hollow 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 109 

tree, snoozed as composedly as ever he did in 
his far away home in Connecticut. 

Kingdom rose to his feet. Something must 
be done! He shook off his heavy thoughts and 
stood for a moment to consider. It was the 
movement of his rising, perhaps, that awakened 
John. He, also, rose to his feet. He heard 
soft footsteps among the leaves and peeped out. 
He heard them more plainly and hurried cau- 
tiously to a part of the thicket from which he 
could see beyond the brush. There was King- 
dom marching away through the woods as if he 
were going somewhere and in a hurry to arrive. 

A whistle which might have been the call of 
a squirrel sounded. It was a signal both boys 
used for each other in the woods, and in another 
instant the needless burden had rolled off Bee's 
mind. What a sea of fresh difficulties must cer- 
tainly have come to both of them but for the 
chance awakening of John, in the nick of time, 
the two boys did not long discuss. 

"But you would have come into the tree to 



110 THE TRAIL OF THB SENECA 

leave some grub for me, anyway, Bee," said 
John. 

" Hanged if I thought of such a thing!" 
Kingdom answered. "You don't deserve it, 
nohow ! Going to sleep and keeping me in such 
a stew about you!" he added good-naturedly. 

The lads were both seated on the ground in- 
side the protecting whitewood now, and John, 
having long since eaten the provisions with 
which he left home, was making good use of 
those Eee brought. He had, he declared, with 
venison in one hand and bread in the other, a 
more immoderate appetite than any well-be- 
haved witch should ever have. 

John's friendly feeling for Fishing Bird was 
certainly not diminished by what Eee told him 
concerning the good turns the faithful Delaware 
had done both of them. He quickly verified the 
statement that he had been warned by the voice 
of Fishing Bird at the brink of the river the 
night before, though he had little suspected the 
source from which came the "Ughs" he heard. 

More than all else, however, excepting Bee's 



THE TRAIL OF THE SBNBCA 111 

own personal safety at the cabin, was John 
interested in the hidden lead mine of which 
Lone-Elk alone possessed definite knowledge. 
He declared at once his intention of improving 
his time in exile by watching the woods for the 
Seneca and following him wherever he went. 

"You'll do nothing of the kind, my boy," said 
Kingdom with playful affection, but yet very 
earnestly. "I more than half suspect that one 
reason Fishing Bird follows and watches Lone- 
Elk is the expectation that he will find out 
where the mine is. With two of you on the 
Seneca's trail, it is altogether too certain that 
he will find you out. And, mark this good 
and seriously, John, there's no doubt whatever 
but that Lone-Elk would rather scalp you than 
not. I don't think for a minute, mind you, that 
he believes his own witch stories. But he means 
business in the whole bad mess he has made for 
us. I'm confident he will not bother me very 
much, but for all practical purposes he has full 
permission and authority to take your topknot 
the first chance he gets. It's the witch law of 



112 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

pretty much all the Indians and of all the Iro- 
quois. The Delawares have all the Iroquois 
customs from having been subject to them for 
so long, years ago. So we know what we will 
have to reckon with.'' 

Jerome was rather inclined to demur but 
Kingdom would not hear to any plan but that 
he should remain carefully in hiding. 
' "Well, then, I'll tell you what I'll do," John 
suggested, as a final effort to gain more free- 
dom than Eee believed wise, "I'll take two or 
three days to myself and make a pilgrimage to 
the 'salt lick' over by the Mahoning river. Oh, 
I'll be wary! I'll look sharp enough, don't you 
fear ! " he added, seeing what Ree was about to 
say. 

And so it was agreed that while Kingdom 
undertook to clear up the mystery of the death 
of Big Buffalo, Jerome should keep himself 
occupied and out of sight by the journey he 
proposed. The plan, like many another plan, 
far more carefully deliberated upon, had, as 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 113 

events proved, a most important bearing on 
the future. 

But no man can tell what the next day, aye, 
the next hour, the next minute, will bring forth, 
however much our every act is constantly shap- 
ing the unknown fate and future. 






CHAPTER VIII. 

THE SALT SPRINGS A STARTLING DISCOVERY. 

Besides the much traveled path extending 
south from the river on which the cabin of the 
youthful pioneers was situated, to the main 
branch of the Muskingum, there was another 
thoroughfare of the Indians in the vicinity. 
The general direction of its course was east and 
west. This trail was not used a great deal, but 
it was, for the most part, along its route that 
the two boys had first made their way into the 
Ohio wilds two years before. At occasional 
intervals Delawares and others followed this 
path in traveling toward Fort Pitt, or in 
journeying from that point to Sandusky and 
the country of the Wyandots near the lake, 
farther to the west or to the Maumee which lay 
beyond. 

At a distance of two days' journey eastward 
from the cabin on the Cuyahoga, a branch of 
this trail forked off and led on to a much fre- 
114 



THE TRAIL 'OF THE SHNHCA 115 

quented "salt lick" or spring of salty water, 
near the Mahoning river. To this "lick" the 
Indians came from far and near to make salt. 
Settlers came from great distances, also, espe- 
cially in later years, to boil the waters of the 
springs, and Kingdom and Jerome had known 
of the place for a long time. 

Having first heard of the "big lick" from the 
Delawares, the boys had verified the informa- 
tion so obtained by talking with hunters and 
traders. Often had they planned to visit the 
place. During the winter, when work in their 
clearing was less pressing, they frequently had 
said they would obtain a year's supply of salt 
for themselves. But that was before trouble 
had come to them. What they would do now 
must depend entirely upon future develop- 
ments. 

Kingdom saw no good reason for John's pro- 
posed trip to the "lick," but neither did he see 
a reason for not going ; besides, maybe it would 
be better for Jerome to be away from the local- 
ity in which such grave danger threatened him, 



116 THE TRAIL OF THE SBNBCA 

and the more especially so in view of the temp- 
tation he would have to try to find the secret 
lead mine of the outcast Seneca. 

Thus the two friends parted. Kingdom had 
already lost much time. He feared being late 
at the council he was to have with Captain 
Pipe's principal people and much as he would 
have liked to go a little way with John, he felt 
that he must hurry directly to the cabin. 

No sooner was Eee gone from the hollow 
whitewood, however, than John Jerome found 
interest in the trip to the "lick" suddenly lag- 
ging. It was one thing to talk to his bosom 
friend about the undertaking, but quite another 
to sit solitary and alone pondering upon its 
hardships. But he was in for it now. It most 
certainly would not do to give up. Kingdom 
would not expect to see him for four or five 
days at least, and he would be alone for that 
length of time anyway, he reflected. Thus in 
a measure he restored his first enthusiasm for 
the journey he had so impulsively suggested, 
and ten minutes later was on the way. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 117 

To have followed the old trail which led 
toward the salt spring would have been, from 
John's starting point, considerably out of his 
way. It lay much to the south. To travel 
through the unbroken woods would be harder 
but it would likewise be safer and the latter 
was an important point to consider. So through 
the woods, setting himself to make nearly a bee 
line to the east, the lonesome young woodsman 
tramped. Sleep and food had much refreshed 
him after the labor and the adventures of the 
night, however, and except for the sense of lone- 
liness and something of worry and anxiety con- 
cerning Kingdom's safety, which hung heavily 
upon his thoughts, he would have been in fine 
spirits. 

John was quite familiar with that portion of 
the woods which he was now traversing. It was 
not far from here that he had been held captive 
in the cave where dwelt Duff and Dexter. 
Over to the right a mile or so was the spot 
where the unscrupulous Duff, himself, had been 
forced to surrender and beg for his very life. 



118 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

On ahead was the little lake where Captain 
Brady had hidden, a number of years before. 
John and Eee had hunted up the place one 
time, just to see the spot after hearing of 
Brady's wonderful leap and exciting adventure 
from some settlers near Fort Pitt. 

The leaves underfoot and all the great forest 
stretching away for miles on every side were 
still wet from the drenching rain of the previous 
night. Any trail made the day before must 
needs have been well marked or all traces of it 
would be now obliterated. John thought of 
this as in the course of the day's travel he 
twice came upon signs which seemed to tell of 
some person or persons having passed through 
much the same portion of the wilds as he was 
traveling, within a few days at most. One sign 
of this kind was a freshly cut mark of a hatchet 
upon a great, smooth-barked beech. Another 
was the presence of one small stone beside a 
large one and a small quantity of hickory nut 
shells, 

No thought of danger because of these indi- 



THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 119 

cations that there were other travelers in the 
woods came to Jerome. The mark upon the 
beech tree might have been made by anyone, 
white man or red. It merely showed that some 
one had recently been there. Likewise the nut 
shells may have been left by a chance hunter 
or even by a party of them. Still, having found 
these signs, and feeling quite interested in dis- 
covering more of them, some which might 
reveal more definite facts perhaps, as the ashes 
of a campfire, for example, John looked keenly 
in all directions as he tramped on and on. But 
he saw nothing and the necessity of searching 
for something he deemed more important a 
safe and comfortable place to spend the night 
caused him to turn his thoughts to other things 
as the short fall day drew early to a close. 

A tangled mass of wild grapevines hanging 
over a little gully, and sheltering it alike from 
wind and rain, seemed to offer a good prospect, 
but turned out a disappointment. The ground, 
on being inspected, proved exceedingly wet. So 
on John went. Once he paused beside the 



120 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

thickly spreading branches of a maple, which 
had been uprooted by some summer storm, and 
contemplated lying down among the leaves the 
breezes had collected there. But he shook his 
head and passed by. 

"Why the very mischief I ever thought of 
coming on this wild goose chase I don't know, 
I vow!" the young wayfarer grumbled to him- 
self, with a grim frown. 

He was thinking of the snug little log house 
and the warm supper and warm bed he might 
have had in prospect. Even the shelter of the 
projecting ledge of rock, whose protection he 
had had the night before, seemed very attract- 
ive now. "And the old hollow poplar, that 
would be quite a lord mayor's mansion, for a 
fact it would!" he told himself. "But there's 
no use fussing for what you haven't got and 
can't have," he added, with a philosophy which 
many an older man has never learned, and 
walked on the faster. 

Only once or twice before had John spent a 
night in the open woods without Kingdom for 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 121 

company, and though he was not afraid, he 
dreaded the hours of darkness and the lone- 
some, cheerless night now just before him more 
and more as the shadows thickened. 

' l Howl away, you pesky rascals ! Howl away ! 
But you don't know what you're howling for!" 
he burst out almost spitefully as the yelping of 
wolves reached his ears. "I'm not going to 
climb a tree on your account not if' I don't 
have to," he added, making the latter saving 
clause barely audible, even to himself. 

A strange place for a night's rest it was 
which John selected at last as a. final choice. 
"But," as he reasoned with his protesting, 
tired-out body, "you've got to take what you 
can get and take it mighty quick at that, if you 
are going to see what you're getting." 

The resting place thus selected was a chest- 
nut tree which sent out four branches a few 
feet above the ground, each as large as an ordi- 
nary tree, and each spreading broadly in a dif- 
ferent direction from the others. The effect 
was to form at the place from which the 



122 TUB TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

branches projected a seat by no means uncom- 
fortable and having the advantage of being high 
and dry, at least. Indeed, John found that by 
sitting astride of one great limb and leaning 
against another, he not only maintained his bal- 
ance easily but rested comparatively well. With 
his blanket wrapped round him and over his 
head like a hood, he ate his supper of dried 
vension, wished he had a drink, decided it was 
too much trouble to go for one, fell to thinking 
of the absurdity of Lone-Elk's accusations and 
drifted off to sleep. 

Before morning John felt severely the effects 
of being so long in one position, but nothing 
worse disturbed him. He heard wild creatures 
of the forest all about at different times in the 
night, but even had human eyes come very close 
they would hardly have seen in the thick dark- 
ness the solitary figure perched in the chest- 
nut's forks. But it was a genuine luxury to be 
on the ground and feel the cushions of leaves- 
underfoot once more; and so it was, while he 



THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 123 

strode steadily forward, facing always the east, 
that John ate his meager breakfast. 

Watchful as he always was to obtain fresh 
clues to the presence of others than himself in 
any portion of the woods, John still found noth- 
ing to interest him particularly. In the after- 
noon he came upon a runway of the deer, and 
confident from its general trend that it led 
toward the salt springs, he followed it. He 
came upon various indications that the path had 
been used by two-footed as well as four-footed 
creatures. Once he found the skeleton of a 
large buck. Near by was a sapling which had 
been bent down over the path, and a long withe 
made into a noose close at hand, showed how 
the poor creature died. 

None of the things he saw, however, conveyed 
to John any thought but that he must be near- 
ing the salt "lick" now; and that perhaps he 
would find some one there, and would do well 
to be very careful as he approached, not know- 
ing whom he might find, and being somewhat 
particular who might find him. 



124 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

Even when he picked up a buckskin glove 
with spatters of blood upon it beside the run- 
way, John had no presentiment of what was to 
come. He only muttered: " White folks at the 
spring now, or have been there not long ago, at 
least. Settlers, probably. You don't catch any- 
body else putting on mittens before it has even 
snowed. What a big hand he had ! ' ' 

The concluding exclamation followed the try- 
ing on of the glove. It was, indeed, a large one, 
and because of its size and not knowing just 
where to carry it, John was inclined to throw 
it down by the path and leave it ; but he recon- 
sidered and tucked the buckskin in his belt. He 
found it there, convenient for reference, when a 
decidedly startling discovery somewhat later 
brought the glove very forcibly to his recollec- 
tion. 

The runway of the deer brought the boy at 
last to a considerable stream which he rightly 
guessed to be the river, known to the Indians 
then and to everyone now as the Mahoning. 
The path skirted its banks for some distance, 



THE TRAIL OF THB SBNBCA 125 

then turned into the woods again, leading on to 
the springs of slightly salty water which lay at 
no great distance. 

Only by hard traveling had John reached the 
place before nightfall, but he was thankful for 
his rare good fortune in doing so. To spend 
several hours at least in locating the "lick," 
after he had come fairly into its vicinity, was 
what he had expected, and now to come directly 
to the spot was indeed lucky. He had never 
seen the place before but he could not doubt 
the evidence that lay on every hand. Indeed, he 
was greatly surprised to find so many indica- 
tions that the springs were often visited. 

They lay in an open space of two or three 
acres, grown up to low bushes and rank grass, 
save for the paths where the ground had been 
tramped bare by the deer and other animals. 
In several places were the ashes of long-de- 
serted campfires. Near the border of the clear- 
ing were two or three rough, quickly-erected 
log cabins. But these also, were deserted, and 
toppling over from neglect. The spring or 



126 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

springs for the water seemed to bubble forth 
in two or three places were enclosed by heavy 
planks, hewed from whole trees, forming a vat 
nearly six paces square, as John measured it, 
and rather more than three feet deep. This 
vat was sunk in the ground and as the aston- 
ished young visitor lay down to drink from it, 
what was his surprise to discover two large iron 
kettles at its bottom, plainly visible in the clear, 
sparkling water. 

With rare interest the young explorer looked 
upon his discoveries. Another thing which 
much attracted him were pits that had been dug 
as 'hiding places by hunters, wherein they lay 
in wait for the coming of deer to the springs at 
night. These may have been the work of white 
men or of Indians, for it was not many miles, 
John knew, to the old Indian village which he 
had heard called Mahoning Town. He doubted 
if many Indians lived there, now, however, 
not more than one or two families at most he 
thought for at this distance from the border 
the homes of the Mingoes, which once had been 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 127 

occupied, were already falling to ruins. The 
inhabitants of the villages had moved farther 
into the wilderness or were scattered and there 
seldom remained so much as a dog to bark at 
strangers. 

John was somewhat disappointed to find no 
white person or persons near, and no sign that 
any had been there since the rain of the second 
night before, at least. But it was lucky, on the 
other hand, that he found no hostile Indians 
there, and just at that time it would have been 
pretty hard to tell which redskins were hostile 
and which were not, unless one personally knew 
them. 

So, having satisfied himself that neither 
friend nor foe was in the vicinity, the interested 
young discoverer again drank heartily of the 
spring's very pleasant waters and then calmly 
sat down at some little distance to rest and sur- 
vey the situation more leisurely than he had 
done at first. 

The salt "lick" or spring was somewhat to 
one side of a wide, shallow valley. The extent 



128 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

to which the vicinity had been frequented had 
caused many trees and much brush to be 
cleared away, as in the course of time they had 
been burned and chopped down to provide wood 
for the making of salt or the building of huts. 
The effect was to make the woods quite open all 
about the little clearing. But, notwithstanding, 
it was a very desolate, lonely spot. The wind 
blew in a most melancholy manner and the im- 
pression came to John that the springs were 
haunted. Surely if ghosts ever appeared any- 
where in the whole vast wilderness, here was a 
place which seemed the very one at which they 
would assemble. But it was for the sake of 
security from being found by living visitors to 
the "lick" that the lad decided he would do well 
to go farther into the forest to spend the night. 
This he did, and as it was now dusk, he sought 
a safe resting place with great eagerness. 

Knowing that .creatures of all sorts would be 
likely to come to the spring after darkness set 
in even buffalos, though they were exceedingly 
rare in these parts, John was well aware the 



THE TRAIL OF THH SBNBCA 129 

lad had no excuse to make to his courage in 
looking for a tree which would offer a comfort- 
able perch. This he failed to find, but high up 
on the hillside to the east of the "lick" he 
found, as he searched further, a rude shack or 
shelter built up with poles and brush, probably 
by salt boilers. At least there was a consider- 
able bed of ashes in front of the open side of 
the brush wind-shield, and under cover and com- 
paratively dry was a bed of small boughs, 
leaves and long, wild grass, such as grew in the 
valley below. 

The effect of this discovery upon John 
Jerome was to make him feel quite at home. 
The dreary prospect of spending an uncomfort- 
able night vanished. If others had found it 
safe to have a campfire and sleep like civilized 
mortals, why should not he ? A campfire and all 
the comforts of the brush house should be his, 
he instantly decided, let the consequences be 
what they might. So the next half hour was 
busily spent in gathering firewood. 

With dry leaves and powder and the exercise 



130 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

of patience, born of the days which knew not 
matches, John kindled his fire. He chose not 
to risk more than a small blaze, however, and 
by starting it very close to the front of the 
shack made its ruddy glow scarcely visible from 
one direction, at least. The principal advan- 
tage of this was in having the fire close to him as 
he lay on the bed of tender boughs ; still he was 
glad to think that he was " being prudent," as 
Eeturn Kingdom would wish him to be, though 
he smiled at the thought. 

Good, honest fatigue and a clear conscience 
put John to sleep early, despite the troubled 
state of his mind whenever he thought of his 
enforced absence from the only home he had. 
If prowlers of any kind, man or beast, were 
near him while darkness lasted, he did not know 
it. He awoke to find the dawn breaking and, 
knowing that he must soon start back to keep 
his appointment with Eee, set out at once for 
another inspection of the salt spring and its 
surroundings. 

How he chanced to come upon it or what 



THE TRAIL OF THH SHNBCA 131 

prompted him to pause before it, there is no 
necessity of telling, but certain it is that when 
about to leave the spring, John found at a dis- 
tance of forty rods to the west of the "lick," 
on a slight rise of ground, a pile of brush in 
the midst of a sumac thicket. 

"How did it get there and what's the pur- 
pose of it?" he asked himself, wondering if it 
were not a trap for wild turkeys. 

With a determination to find an answer to his 
questions, he pushed in among the bushes and 
pulled the low brush pile to one side. 

A ghastly sight confronted him. Dead, their 
skins discolored, their clothing hanging loosely 
on their gaunt bodies, stiff and cold, their scalps 
gone, were two men two young men who, it 
was evident, had come from the settlements. 



CHAPTER IX. 

THE EVIL POWER OF LONE-ELK. 

Perspiring and thirsty after his long, rapid 
walk from the hollow poplar to the cabin, King- 
dom would gladly have rested before going on 
to the town of the Delawares, but the day was 
already well advanced and he must hurry. 
Stopping only for a drink of water, therefore, 
and to assure himself that nothing had been dis- 
turbed in his absence, he saddled Phoebe and 
was away again. 

The boy had been thinking much of all that 
he meant to say to Captain Pipe and his coun- 
selors and the subject still occupied him as he 
drew near the Indian village. He glanced 
anxiously about, wondering if he would be met 
by any such warning as had come to him the 
day before, but saw no one. Going on to the 
straggling little collection of huts of bark and 
skins which comprised the town, however, he 
132 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 133 

was soon greeted by Captain Pipe himself and a 
.score of warriors. The manner of the Indians 
was very formal and cool, yet not especially 
unfriendly, Kingdom thought, and he felt sure 
that if it were not for Lone-Elk he could win all 
the friends of the dead Big Buffalo over to his 
side and persuade them that witchcraft had not 
been the cause of death. 

Lone-Elk was not present when Kingdom 
arrived, but scarcely had the lad tied his horse 
when the Seneca came stalking forth from his 
lodge, a wigwam made of skins, and followed 
the chief and the other Indians as they led the 
way with Ree to the Council House. The latter 
building was the same as that in which the 
religious exercises of the Harvest Festival were 
held and has been sufficiently described. 

Captain Pipe and his followers ranged them- 
selves in a wide semicircle at one side of the 
long, low structure and Kingdom sat opposite 
them. Lone-Elk was at the extreme left of the 
line of warriors on the chief's right. He had 
not spoken to the white visitor, nor did he now 



134 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

deign to take any notice of him. In all respects 
his conduct and general bearing were not only 
insolent but ugly to the point of savage hostility. 

When all were seated, Captain Pipe briefly 
said that the council was ready to hear any mes- 
sage or statement which the Paleface visitor 
wished to present. 

Kingdom had hoped he would have an oppor- 
tunity to learn something more than he yet 
knew as to the circumstances of Big Buffalo's 
death before the council convened, but there 
had been no time for this, and he could but make 
the best of his situation. 

Eising, Kee saluted the Indians very respect- 
fully and began what proved to be a really able 
speech, though he had little supposed that so 
much formality would be observed in the 
4 'talk'' he had asked to have. From quiet, 
slowly spoken words, Kingdom advanced by 
degrees to louder tones and greater vehemence, 
and he had, he was glad to see, the respectful 
attention of every Indian present, not except- 
ing Lone-Elk. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 135 

On the latter 's face an expression of indiffer- 
ent insolence changed to one of very attentive 
thoughtfulness. He realized that here was a 
force and an appeal to the reason and intel- 
ligence of the Delawares which might very 
easily prove the undoing of his schemes and his 
accusations and possibly end most unfortu- 
nately for himself. 

Kingdom spoke most plainly, and under- 
standing full well the power of hard, honest 
truth, honestly and forcefully presented, he 
frankly owned that John Jerome had been 
forced into hiding by the danger in which he 
was placed, owing to the charge that was made 
against him. They both would be compelled to 
leave their home and lose it and all the work 
they had done in their clearing if the Delawares 
could not be made to see that this accusation of 
witchcraft was unjust and false, he said. He 
reminded Captain Pipe and the others how, in 
good faith, he and John had bought their land ; 
how they had refrained from going to the west 
of the river on the portage path because those 



136 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

lines marked the boundary of the lands the 
Indians had never surrendered to the white 
people as a whole. He appealed to the sense 
of justice which every Indian had, to the end 
that they might see how unfair it was to take 
the testimony of any one person as conclusive 
evidence of guilt. 

Neither did Eee spare the Seneca. He 
warmly called attention to the character of 
Lone-Elk and denounced the fellow as an out- 
cast, a fugitive from the villages and the haunts 
of his own people ; scored him as one whose his- 
tory made him an unfit witness for the Dela- 
wares to believe, and especially so since the 
accusation he made was directed against one 
whose friendship for all the Delawares, Big 
Buffalo included, had been proved time and 
again. 

Much more did Eee say, and he was satisfied 
as he finished that, whatever the outcome might 
be, he had done his best. He had suggested 
many causes for Big Buffalo's sudden death, 
any one of which he declared was more reason- 



THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 137 

able than this idea of witchcraft. He had asked 
that the opportunity be given him to examine 
the body of the dead warrior to see if he could 
not then tell precisely what had produced death. 
He would not say, he stated, that he could posi- 
tively do this, but it would be no more than fair 
to let him try. 

In accordance with the Indian custom, when 
matters of such grave concern were the subject 
of a council, Kingdom withdrew after he had 
presented his contention to await a decision 
when the Delawares had discussed the matter 
among themselves. 

What went on in the Council House while he 
walked about outside Kingdom did not know. 
He easily imagined that Lone-Elk would ridi- 
cule things that he had said and ask if he him- 
self had not been as good a Delaware since com- 
ing among them as any warrior present. 

Bee's guess was not far wrong. Lone- 
Elk did appeal to Captain Pipe and everyone 
present in the strongest language at his com 
mand, reiterating again and again that what his 



138 THH TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

eyes had seen should stand for more than any 
denial which the young Palefaces could make. 
And he promised, too, that if the opportunity 
were given him, he would find evidence convinc- 
ing to every Delaware that the Little Pale- 
face was a witch and that he and no other had 
caused the death of the warrior whose arm 
would be lifted in battle, whose voice would 
sound upon the warpath never again. 

For more than an hour the council remained 
in session while Kingdom walked up and down 
impatiently among the low huts. Most of the 
Indians of both sexes were gathered in the 
Council House and he was quite alone. A step 
near by stirred him from his melancholy revery. 
Glancing up, he found Fishing Bird beside him. 
The look on the friendly fellow's face was 
enough to tell Eee that the council had decided 
against him. 

"Gome," the Indian said, telling with his 
eyes that which he dared not speak, and King- 
dom followed him into the long, bark building 
and once more stood before the council. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 139 

Very gravely Captain Pipe motioned to the 
white boy to be seated, and himself rising, 
spoke slowly and with much earnestness in 
English, which language he now used quite 
fluently. 

At considerable length the Delaware chief re- 
viewed the whole case which had been presented 
both by Eee and by Lone-Elk, the accuser. He 
criticised the " Paleface brother" for having 
failed to bring before the council the one who 
had been accused. He praised Bee, however, 
for the frank and open way in which he had 
laid his arguments before the Indians and for 
the friendliness he had shown the Delawares 
at all times. 

About the boundary between the white nation 
and the Indian nations, Captain Pipe said it 
was true that a treaty had been made several 
years earlier by the white people and the Dela- 
ware, Chippewa and Wyandot nations (at Fort 
Industry, in 1785) in which it was agreed that 
the Indians would give up all claim to the land 
east of the Cuyahoga river, the portage path 



140 THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 

and the Tuscarawas river, or main branch of 
the Muskingum, as it was also called. He said 
further that this same treaty was renewed at a 
somewhat later time (at Fort Harmer, in 1789) 
when the Delawares, Wyandots, Chippewas, 
Sacs and Pottawatomies had made an agree- 
ment with the Palefaces. 

That the treaties were not kept, Captain Pipe 
declared, was the fault of the white people be- 
cause they were always encroaching upon the 
lands of the Indians and always seeking to 
drive them farther and farther to the west. He 
could not consider, he said, that the two young 
white settlers had any rights in the Ohio coun- 
try except that which came to them by reason 
of their having traded goods for the certain 
small parcel of land they occupied. If they 
wished to hunt or fish on any other land except- 
ing the few acres they owned, they did so only 
because the Indians permitted it. Therefore if 
any violation of Indian laws or customs was 
committed, they must answer to the Indians for 
the violation and not contend, as White Fox 



THE TRAIL OF THE SBNBCA 141 

had done, that a trial by the people of their own 
color and laws was their right, because they did 
not actually live on Indian soil. 

The agreement the council had reached in re- 
gard to the charge of witchcraft against him 
who was called "Little Paleface," Captain Pipe 
at last concluded, was that Lone-Elk and others 
should go forth to search for further evidence 
against the white boy. Further, it was agreed 
that the Delawares would grant the White 
Fox meaning Eee permission to try to 
show that Big Buffalo died from some cause 
other than witchcraft if he would give himself 
as a hostage for the delivery of Little Pale- 
face into the hands of Lone-Elk, in case it was 
finally decided that witchcraft actually caused 
the death of the warrior whose voice was now 
silent. 

The latter proposition came as a decided sur- 
prise to Kingdom. He had been prepared to 
hear the decision that Lone-Elk have the op- 
portunity to produce evidence. He remembered 
vividly now the secret visit the Seneca had paid 



142 THE TRAIL OF THB SENECA 

the clearing the night before. But he dared not 
speak of it. To do so would betray Fishing 
Bird. And not knowing what Lone-Elk would 
1 i find'' in the way of " evidence," Eee was 
much at a loss to answer when Captain Pipe, 
bidding him speak, sat down. 

Like the ingenious Yankee boy that he was, 
Eee did not reply at once to the hostage part 
of the Delaware chief's proposal. Concerning 
the search for evidence, he could only say, he 
stated, that full permission was given the In- 
dians to look in every nook and corner of the 
cabin by the river and in the clearing and the 
woods surrounding it, or wherever else they 
chose. If they found anything which could be 
taken to be evidence that John Jerome had 
aught to do with the death of Big Buffalo, it 
would be something which had been placed 
among their property by others; it would be 
"made to order" evidence, and therefore worth 
nothing to any fair minded member of the Dela- 
ware or any other nation. 

Having spoken thus far, and thinking now of 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 143 

the offer that he give himself as a hostage, 
though he did not mention it, Eee asked of Cap- 
tain Pipe and all the Indians present whether 
he was to consider them personally as friends 
or foes. He wanted to know whether he himself 
was to be free to come and go as in the past, 
or whether it was their intention to dispossess 
him of his land by practically driving him off 
of it. 

"If you do this," said he, "in what way is it 
better than the treatment the Indians them- 
selves complain of, that they are driven from 
their forests ? ' ' 

The thought thus presented interested Cap- 
tain Pipe a great deal and for a second or two 
he did not answer. 

"The council is over. The Paleface brother 
knows its decision. It is not the custom to talk 
when the time for talking is past," he said at 
last. 

"Yes, but am I to be molested? Am I to lie 
down at night knowing that to me, personally, 
at least, the Delawares are friends, or am I to 



144 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

watch lest as enemies they come to kill me?" 
Bee demanded. 

"The Paleface brother gives himself not as 
a hostage. He has rejected the offer made 
him," Captain Pipe answered. 

"I want only time to think about that," said 
Eee. "I will answer later." 

The council was over but the Indians all re- 
mained silent, listening attentively to every- 
thing which was said. Inquiringly now they 
looked to their chief to know the white boy's 
fate. Most of them felt friendly toward him. 
But at the same time all, or nearly all, were 
growing daily more hostile to the whites in gen- 
eral. 

"The White Fox may go. He is free and no 
Indian will disturb him; but he must come no 
more to the village of the Delawares if he comes 
not as a hostage. He must remain near his 
own lodge and if he goes from his own land he 
must go not far. He must carry no tales of 
what the Indians are doing to the forts or to 
the houses of the Paleface people. On the land 



THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 145 

that the Delawares sold to him the Paleface 
brother shall be as safe as the eagle in its nest 
upon the mountain tops." 

"No other place, though," Lone-Elk grunted 
savagely and only half audibly. 

Whether Captain Pipe heard him Eee did not 
know, for as the latter had ceased speaking he 
had dismissed the council with a wave of his 
hand, and now all the Indians were moving 
toward the open air, some quiet and thoughtful, 
some talking, some pushing and hurrying, some 
inclined to linger. 

Gentle Maiden was among the latter. She 
passed very near Eee as she moved slowly out 
and, unobserved by any save himself, gave the 
lad a glance which was most friendly, the only 
really friendly look he had received except from 
Fishing Bird. 

With an effort Kingdom suppressed a tear 
of bitterness and disappointment which, some- 
how, the friendly look from the Indian girl had 
brought to his eyes. He waited only until he 
could reach Captain Pipe and shake his hand 



146 THE TRAIL OF THB SHNHCA 

to show the appreciation and respect which he 
felt were really due the chief, sadly misled by 
Lone-Elk though the proud Delaware was. Eee 
could not but notice Hopocon performed the 
friendly ceremony of shaking hands with far 
less of cordial warmth than usual. 

"So much," he thought, "for the fact that 
Captain Pipe needs lead and that the Seneca 
knows where lead is." 

But he said good-bye to those who were near, 
. untied Phoebe and rode slowly away. The day 
was very near its close. 



CHAPTER X. 

"MORE BULLETS, MORE LEAD." 

Eee did not doubt that Lone-Elk, expecting 
that he and John would meet to talk over the 
events of the day and the outcome of the 
"talk," would either spy upon him as he made 
his way home, or keep watch of the clearing 
during the night. 

The lad easily saw in the Seneca the influ- 
ence which set Captain Pipe and many of the 
other Delawares against him and against John. 
He concluded, too, that so far as Lone-Elk was 
concerned, the accusation of witchcraft was but 
a means to an end. 

He was certain that the Seneca had some evil 
purpose in view in causing the Delawares to 
believe the absurd things he told them. Or was 
it only to shield himself from suspicion in con- 
nection with Big Buffalo's death that he had 
invented the witchcraft story? Was the Seneca, 
then, really the murderer of the Delaware war- 

147 



148 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

rior! If he were not, he must have some reason 
for turning the people of Captain Pipe 's village 
against their white neighbors other than merely 
to avert suspicion from himself. 

Often the worn and anxious boy recalled the 
warning Captain Pipe had given him to carry 
to the settlements no news of what the Indians 
were doing. Could it be that some attack upon 
Gen. Wayne's men was being planned and the 
Delawares, inspired by Lone-Elk, were afraid 
the white boys would hear of it and give the 
alarm! Or did Lone-Elk merely fear the Pale- 
face pioneers would discover the secret lead 
mine which gave him his hold upon Captain 
Pipe? Maybe that keen old redskin himself 
feared the same thing and dreaded lest the 
white soldiers should invade the country to win 
possession of so rich a prize. 

Eee wondered if he was right in any of these 
surmises, then it would seem that the wish of 
the Indians was to cause him and John to for- 
sake their cabin and their clearing and be gone 
to return no more. On the other hand, after 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 149 

the warning he had received, it would be posi- 
tively unsafe for him to travel far in the direc- 
tion of Fort Pitt or the settlements, lest the 
redskins suspect him of going to betray some 
secret, and so make an end of him. What then 
could he do! 

So, completely tired out after the past two 
anxious days and nights, Kingdom floundered 
more and more hopelessly in a sea of ' ' if s " and 
"but thens," and confused question marks, as 
he tried in vain to arrive at what would seem to 
him a correct summing up of the situation. 

"It's just no use thinking any more about it," 
he declared to himself when half way home. 
But he added, "Not now, at least," as a second 
thought, for he well knew in what direction his 
mind would turn when he had rested and could 
reflect with more composure. 

A half mile from the Delaware town Eee had 
let Phoebe gallop wherever the trail was open 
enough to make such speed possible, and he 
had a grim satisfaction in the belief that Lone- 
Elk was following him. 



150 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

The Seneca was equal to such a task. Noth- 
ing tired him; no hardships or labor were tod 
great for him to undertake when he had a point 
to gain. Kingdom knew this well. He saw in 
the hateful fellow a spirit which nothing could 
turn aside and a strength and cunning far 
superior to the same qualities in other Indians, 
though all were gifted in this way. 

"I only hope he is following. If I could be 
sure of it and make him run his legs half off 
to keep up, only to disappoint him in the end, 
I'd gallop you every step, Phoebe, every last 
step," Ree told the % sagacious mare, who was 
picking her steps with the utmost nicety. 

And the fact was that the tenacious Seneca, 
thinking that Kingdom would surely go at once 
to his companion, was following the horse and 
rider at no great distance behind. He was 
afraid to go forward to the clearing, and spy 
upon the cabin from the edge of the woods lest 
Eee meet John at some appointed place along 
the trail. He thought with savage pleasure of 
the satisfaction he would have in dragging the 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 151* 

Little Paleface before the assembled Dela- 
wares. With a sort of fierce happiness he 
anticipated the pride and joy he would have in 
hanging the white boy's scalp above the door 
of his lodge where all might see. 

Forced as he was to run at a good, round 
speed in order to keep the sound of the horse's 
hoofs within hearing, and being tired and in no 
pleasant frame of mind to begin with, Lone-Elk 
became furious as mile after mile he followed 
on and all to no purpose. His very scowl was 
frightful. Again and again was he tempted 
to overtake the young white man and vent his 
hatred in one safe, sure shot from behind. 

Had the Seneca attempted to put this thought 
into execution, however, he would certainly 
have regretted it. Unknown to him, Fishing 
Bird was also on the trail. Keenly as Lone- 
Elk followed the horse and rider, he in turn was 
spied upon by the Delaware who, for a favor 
done him long ago, was willing to risk his life 
for his Paleface friend. 

As Kingdom reached the clearing and 



152 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

mounted the hill to the log house, Lone-Elk 
changed his course and traversed the edge of 
the woods to a point from which he could com- 
mand a view of the cabin and the whole open 
space about it. Fishing Bird changed his 
course also. From behind a clump of hazel 
bushes he kept his eyes on the Seneca unceas- 
ingly. 

Long after the firelight shone brightly from 
the door of the white boys' home, Lone-Elk, 
silent as the very tree trunk which screened him, 
watched and waited. Scarcely could Fishing 
Bird see him, yet with equal patience, he also 
remained at his post. 

Little guessing how closely his every move- 
ment was scrutinized by eyes in which there was 
not one gleam of kindness or of justice, King- 
dom went about his evening work in the barn 
and house and prepared his lonely supper. One 
consoling thought, and only one, came to him. 
It was that he could consider himself safe for 
the present. He would have time to meet John 
when he returned, and then if they agreed that 



THH TRAIL OF THE SENECA 153 

their only safety lay in deserting the cabin, 
the cabin and all they had accomplished in the 
clearing, they would do so. With a few 
hours' start they could, with their horses, leave 
any pursuing Indians well behind. 

Still, Ree assured himself more than once 
flight would be the last thing he would recom- 
mend or think of. He declared it might be that 
Lone-Elk was more than a match for him, but 
the Seneca would have to prove it, and mean- 
while the game he had commenced was one at 
which two could play. 

Much thinking of all that had occurred and 
trying in vain to reason out the inward meaning 
of it all drove Kingdom to his bunk, completely 
worn out. With a determination, whose 
strength was one of his characteristics, he suc- 
ceeded in putting his difficulties from him for 
the time, and soon soundly slept. 

When the moon had risen, when the firelight 
in the cabin no longer brightly burned, when all 
the clearing was hushed and silent, Lone-Elk 



154 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

gave utterance to a contemptuous, disgusted 
"Ugh!" 

Fishing Bird, alert and faithful every mo- 
ment, heard the sound and noted with exquisite 
satisfaction the disappointment and chagrin the 
Seneca's tone expressed. As Lone-Elk turned 
and moved stealthily, as his habit was, deeper 
into the woods, and in the direction of the Dela- 
ware town, he followed. Elation over the top- 
pling of Lone-Elk's hopes after all the toil and 
trouble with which he had followed tke Pale- 
face youth filled his heart. Dejected and sour 
must the Seneca go back to the village again. 
The thought that he, also, must make the weary 
journey and that he, also, had had but his labor 
for his pains, did not come to him. His con- 
science commended him for what he had done 
and the hardship of it all was only play. 

It happened, however, that the generous Fish- 
ing Bird arrived at his conclusions quite too 
hastily. Satisfied that Lone-Elk was returning 
to the village, he gave little further heed to the 
Seneca's movements. Having allowed the lat- 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 155 

ter a long start, he was content to go on slowly, 
taking pains only that he should not come upon 
the other unawares, or be likewise surprised 
himself. 

When the morning broke on the village of 
the Delawares the Seneca was not there. Fish- 
ing Bird was the first to observe his absence. 
He had been away from the time the council 
closed the day before, some of the young braves 
said. They feared Lone-Elk, but they also 
admired him for his strength and his knowl- 
edge, and being much given to watching all his 
movements, they had noticed his absence from 
the first. 

Alarmed and much provoked with himself, 
the Indian friend of the two young white men 
spent an anxious day. He feared at any mo- 
ment to see the Seneca come striding proudly 
among the lodges, as his custom was, dangling 
the scalp of Little Paleface in such a way 
that none would fail to see it. Again and again 
he was tempted to visit the cabin of the boys, 
but dreaded to do so lest his presence there be 



156 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

discovered and result in so much of suspicion 
being aroused that his usefulness in the lads 7 
interests would be ended. 

All day Fishing Bird moved idly about or sat 
silently in his lodge, showing neither by word 
or look or action the anxiety he felt, though it 
increased more and more as the afternoon 
waned and Lone-Elk continued absent. But at 
last his long watch ended. Just at sunset the 
Seneca came wearily into the village. At his 
belt hung two pouches, both of which seemed 
heavy. One of them he gave to a group of 
squaws who were tending the boiling of a great 
pot of beans. It contained salt. The other he 
carried to Captain Pipe and without a word 
emptied its contents upon a bearskin at the 
chief's feet. 

"More bullets 1" 

"More bullets, more lead, Chief Hopocon," 
the Seneca answered, using the Delaware's 
Indian name, "more lead for the brave warriors 
of the Delawares." 



CHAPTER XL 

THE HIDDEN TOMAHAWK. 

A most uncomfortable feeling of horror and 
astonishment held John Jerome speechless 
and motionless as he looked on the appalling 
scene which his moving of the brush heap had 
revealed. For the time all his senses seemed to 
desert him and, acting on an impulse of utter 
dismay, he hastily drew the bulk of the brush 
pile over the bodies again and hurried away. 

As if he would find a refuge there, John has- 
tened to the rude shelter where he had spent the 
night and where a few coals, still bright and 
warm, seemed to radiate a protecting air about 
the lonely spot. 

All thoughts and actions are influenced more 
or less by one's surroundings, and being in the 
presence of that which suggested comfort and 
tranquillity, the startled boy was able presently 

157 



158 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

to regain his composure somewhat. But if ever 
John desired the company of Eee Kingdom, 
and felt the need of his aid and counsel, he did 
now. 

If only his own inclinations were to have been 
consulted, Jerome would have set out for home 
at as lively a pace as possible. Only the thought 
of the questions Eee would ask, and which he 
would be unable to answer, stood in his way. 
He could easily assure himself that, so far as 
his own curiosity was concerned, he had no wish 
to look again 'upon the awful objects the brush 
covered. Yet it would not do to go back to 
Kingdom with practically no definite informa- 
tion. 

Mustering all the resolution he could, there- 
fore, John returned to the dreadful spot, walk- 
ing with great caution and with many anxious 
glances in all directions. He knew that the two 
bodies must have been placed where he had 
found them at least two or three days earlier, 
yet he was haunted by the feeling that the mur- 
derers were hiding close by. He rather ex- 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 159 

pected, indeed, that the next moment they would 
jump out and seize him. 

In this state of mind it required all the cour- 
age he could command to take hold of the lower 
portions of the matted mass of brush and drag 
the whole heap to one side; but he did it, and 
quickly then, lest his nerve fail him before the 
task was done, he examined both the corpses. 

One was that of a man of about thirty years, 
dressed in homespun clothes and having in gen- 
eral appearance the unmistakable marks of the 
frontier about him. The hair was red and the 
face and hands showed many freckles despite 
the discoloration which had taken place. 

The other body had been in life a robust giant 
of a fellow, perhaps twenty-two years old, with 
long, thick black hair, and a short, stubby 
growth of beard upon his face. The finer tex- 
ture of the clothing and the style of the gar- 
ments denoted a man from the east, one who 
was not ordinarily a hunter or a woodsman. 

Both men had been shot one from the side, 
for the bullet had entered his temple ; the other 



160 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

undoubtedly from behind. The wound was 
hardly noticeable but the bullet had seemingly 
shattered the spinal column. 

No valuables, no papers, no arms, absolutely 
nothing was there, so far as John could find, on 
or near either of the bodies which would furnish 
any clew to their identity. Powder horns, 
knives and all things of the kind usually carried 
by men in the woods had been taken away. The 
further fact that the dead had been scalped, as 
well as robbed, convinced John that Indians had 
done the deed. He did not linger long, however, 
to speculate upon the question. Placing the 
covering of brush over the bodies again, he 
literally fled from the spot, nor did he slacken 
his speed to a rapid walk until he had left the 
cause of his alarm a full mile behind. 

Unnerved and depressed as he was, John 
entirely forgot the danger which confronted him 
in his accustomed haunts, and constantly 
thought of but one thing, which was that he 
must see Kingdom and tell him of the terrible 
discovery without a moment's delay. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 161 

"I'll keep going all night; no rest for me 
now," he told himself, and yet what he meant 
to do or what he supposed Eee would be able to 
do concerning the matter uppermost in his 
mind, he would not have been able to say. 

Night came on. Poor Jerome had eaten noth- 
ing since morning and his fatigue was great. 
His mind 'was calmer now, and he felt the use- 
lessness of going on without rest or food. 
Beside a great log where the wind had drifted 
the freshly fallen leaves he sat down, therefore, 
and ate the little meat he had remaining. It 
was rather comfortable here, he thought 
almost any resting place would seem so after 
such a day as he had had and he wrapped his 
blanket about him and lay down. The next day 
he would be back to the rocky ledges and the 
friendly hollow poplar again. By Monday 
morning, if not before, he would see Kingdom, 
that is, if nothing had befallen him. After what 
he had seen at the "lick" he would not be sur- 
prised to hear of more dreadful things. 

How greatly both he and Bee had trusted the 



162 THE TRAIL OF THE SHNBCA 

Indians, he reflected. Now if he could but find 
Kingdom safe and sound, and they both could 
get away to Fort Pitt or any place of safety, he 
would ask nothing more. But no, on second 
thought, he would ask yet one thing. It would 
be the privilege of joining Gen. Wayne's army 
and taking up arms against the savages in any 
campaign the white military would conduct. 

And so thinking, John Jerome fell asleep. 
* ** * * 

It was a crisp, bright, fall night. Eeturn 
Kingdom had eaten his supper quite dejectedly 
after spending the whole day watching for the 
coming of Lone-Elk or others of the Indians, 
while making scarcely more than a pretense of 
being busy husking corn. He was glad that 
John would soon return. While he had no 
thought of deserting the cabin and the clearing, 
he would feel much more comfortable to have 
Jerome somewhere near. True, he could see 
but little of him until Lone-Elk's accusation was 
effectually disposed of, but there would at least 
be some one with whom he could discuss the 



THE TRAIL OF THE SBNBCA 163 

situation, some one sharing with him the news 
of each day's developments and the plans for 
future action. 

In a brown study Eee sat before the fireplace. 
Then an Indian yell, fierce and loud a yell 
which was more of a warwhoop than he was 
glad to hear brought him quickly to his feet. 
Seizing his rifle, he opened a loophole in the wall 
in a corner where the light was dim, and looked 
out. A party of savages was approaching. The 
Indians moved in single file, making no effort to 
conceal their numbers, and seeming to be bent 
on no particular mischief. 

Reassured by his observations, Kingdom 
opened the door while the redskins were yet but 
half way up the hill and, putting on an appear- 
ance of unconcern, called out to know who was 
disturbing the night with such a racket. 

"The Delawares have come to demand the 
Little Paleface," the voice of Lone-Elk rose in 
response. 

"You mean the Seneca has come," Kingdom 
boldly answered. "It is he who demands that 



164 THB TRAIL OF THB SBNBCA 

one who was never anything but the friend of 
the Delawares shall be punished for a crime that 
is not his." 

By this time the Indians were close about the 
cabin door. 

"Come in, friends, " Kingdom continued, his 
voice taking on a more cordial tone. "I sup- 
pose you have come to look for Little Paleface, 
but he is not here nor has he been for many 
days." 

"Witches come or witches go. Like the wind 
they are here but they are gone. Let the Dela- 
wares see." 

These words from Lone-Elk set all the party 
to looking about in careful search. No crevice 
was too small to escape their investigations. 
They seemed to think the so-called witch might 
hide himself in a space not large enough to ad- 
mit a hand, and peered into every chink and 
corner. 

It developed later that the savages were look- 
ing more for evidence of witchcraft than for the 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 165 

alleged witch himself. Still nothing was dis- 
covered. 

"Brothers, hearken to Lone-Elk, " the Seneca 
cried presently. * ' We remember the great crow 
which sat so long upon the gathered corn. 
Look, then, where the corn was. Witches take 
strange forms bnt they leave marks behind, if 
the Delawares can find them." 

In a body the reckless party of braves the 
Seneca had brought rushed toward the corn- 
field. Only one loitered in the rear and he was 
Fishing Bird. 

Lone-Elk was in advance. Even while he 
spoke, he was leading the way, and as if he had 
marked the spot well, he went directly to the 
shock of corn on which the vagrant crow was 
perched the day the Indians watched in vain for 
John Jerome while he slyly peeked out at them 
from the cabin loft. 

"Tear down the corn! See what can be 
found!" the Seneca cried, and with a violent 
jerk laid the shock of fodder over upon the 
ground. 



166 THH TRAIL OP THE SENECA 

"Ugh!" 

The savage who spoke was an evil-looking 
fellow and one of Lone-Elk's warmest follow- 
ers. Even as his exclamations were made, he 
seized a heavy stone tomahawk, which lay on 
the ground where the shock of corn had been, 
and held it up for all to behold. 

Lone-Elk shrugged his shoulders significant- 
ly and called all the Indians together. Here, he 
declared, was the identical hatchet which had 
slain Big Buffalo. And see the dark stains 
upon it ! Even in the moonlight did they show 
red with the blood of the dead warrior. 

With talk of this kind the anger of the Dela- 
wares was inflamed. Most of them now believed 
implicitly the charges of witchcraft Lone-Elk 
had made, and a few words from him would be 
sufficient to cause an immediate attack to be 
made upon Eee and the cabin. 

Kingdom saw his danger. He knew as well 
as if he had seen the thing done that Lone-Elk 
had concealed the tomahawk beneath the shock 
of corn, but what could he do or say? If only 



THE TRAIL OF THH SHNBCA 167 

Fishing Bird would tell what he had seen after 
following the Seneca to the white boys' clear- 
ing, it might be enough to turn the sentiment 
of the Indians another way. They would see 
that they were being trifled with and their 
ignorance played upon by one who was not 
trusted even by his own tribe. The whole 
trouble might be settled at once. 

But Fishing Bird did not speak and Kingdom 
would not betray the friendly fellow's confi- 
dence, though his very life depended upon it. 
Still he made light of the discovery of the toma- 
hawk and told Lone-Elk to his face that he 
knew perfectly well who hid the hatchet in the 
corn. 

So bold was Eee, indeed, in making this and 
other accusations against the Seneca that the 
latter would have made an end of the young 
white man then and there but for his fear of 
Captain Pipe. As it was, he satisfied himself 
with inflaming the Delawares against Eee, as 
well as against the "Paleface witch, " and un- 
doubtedly hoped in secret that some of the more 



168 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

reckless ones would set fire to the cabin, or even 
kill its owner. So long as he could tell their 
chief that the Delawares themselves, not he, 
had committed the outrage and violated the 
promise made the young Paleface, he could 
wish nothing better. 

Kingdom owed it to Fishing Bird and two or 
three others, but to Fishing Bird most of all, 
that the exciting talk of the Seneca resulted in 
no immediate harm to him. The counsel of 
these Indians was not of the loud and angry 
manner of Lone-Elk's bitter speeches, but to 
the contrary, quiet and persuasive. 

"The Delawares will bide their time. They 
will do nothing rash because Lone-Elk seeks 
with talk to drive them to madness. Can it be 
the Seneca has some reason that we know not 
of for desiring the trouble he seeks to cause?" 

With many quiet remarks of this character, 
spoken in the Indian tongue, Fishing Bird 
moved among the excited braves and warriors, 
and more than one, chancing to hear his low 
spoken words, stopped in the midst of his shout- 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 169 

ing and threatening demonstrations to consider 
if what Fishing Bird said was not pretty whole- 
some counsel after all. 

Through all the uproar and while the savages 
ran here and there, shrieking and excited, up- 
setting the shocks of corn and doing much other 
annoying damage, bent on finding more hidden 
tomahawks or other evidence of witchcraft, 
Kingdom stood in the cabin doorway. He could 
close and bar the door in a second if it should 
be necessary to do so, he knew; but until that 
time came he meant to give none of the Dela- 
wares, much less Lone-Elk, any cause for be- 
lieving that he was in any manner frightened 
or at all seriously disturbed. 

When it became apparent that nothing more 
was to be discovered, the few Indians who had 
not already taken heed of the words of Fishing 
Bird quieted down and seeing that they would 
commit no greater or further violence, the 
Seneca summoned all to gather round him. 
Close to the cabin he led the band, and not 
knowing what the treacherous rascal might have 



170 THE TRAIL OP THH SHNHCA 

in mind, Kingdom gripped his rifle closer and 
even slung it up to a position over his arm in 
which he could make quick use of the weapon. 

"The White Fox was to give himself as a 
hostage for the delivery of the Paleface witch to 
the Delawares," Lone-Elk cried to the Indians 
who gathered round him. "If the one that is 
called Little Paleface is not a witch and did not 
kill Big Buffalo with his witch's hatchet, let 
the White Fox say where the Little Paleface is, 
and come now as a hostage to the great chief, 
Hopocon, till the murderer of Big Buffalo is 
found. " 

"Even as the Great Spirit knows that Little 
Paleface did not kill Big Buffalo, so does Lone- 
Elk know it. He knows it as well as he knows 
how came that hatchet hidden in the corn," 
Kingdom answered loudly, and with a tone of 
solemn certainty that could not escape the In- 
dians' notice. "And I, whom the Delawares 
call White Fox; I, who have been their friend 
and enjoyed their friendship in return until 
Lone-Elk came among you, now call upon all 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 171 

who are here, and all the people of Captain 
Pipe's town, to witness this statement that if 
harm comes to Little Paleface or to me, every 
Delaware will regret it ;- that the Great Spirit 
hears me when I say that in the end we all shall 
know by whose hand Big Buffalo was killed, 
and we shall see that it was not by witchcraft 
that he died." 

' ' Much talk ! A young buck 's much big talk ! ' ' 
grunted Lone-Elk contemptuously in English; 
but that Kingdom's solemn words and manner 
had much impressed a majority of the Indians 
the young pioneer himself well knew, and the 
Seneca must have seen it also. At any rate he 
started off toward the Delaware town, swing- 
ing the blood-stained tomahawk over his 
shoulder as he went. One by one the others 
followed. 



CHAPTER XII. 

KINGDOM ALSO MAKES A DISCOVERY. 

Return Kingdom firmly believed that sooner 
or later the true cause and manner of Big Buf- 
falo 's death must become known. It must be 
so, he argued within himself. There had been 
times in history when the innocent had suffered 
for the guilty, but the saying, "murder will 
out," had been proved a true one always. Ree 
pinned his faith to it now. He did not so much 
as question how the truth would become known. 
In unseeing confidence he was willing to risk 
anything on his firm conviction that right must 
win and would win in the end, however slight 
the chance might seem. 

And it is not too much to say, just here, that 
in after time it came to pass that all that King- 
dom believed would happen, did happen; still, 
could he have looked forward to, and have seen 
the end, as he stood lonesome and nervous in 
172 



THE TRAIL OF THB SENECA 173 

the cabin door when the last of the Indians, 
even Fishing Bird, had departed, there would 
have been no more astonished young man in 
America that night. 

Hopeful that Fishing Bird would come back 
for a talk with him when the Indians had passed 
into the woods and he could drop behind with- 
out his absence being noticed, Kingdom left the 
door ajar and sat for a long time before the 
smoldering embers of his fire. It was Saturday 
night, he reflected. There would be no work 
tomorrow, no hunting, no trapping. He would 
set off on foot, as if going for a stroll in the 
woods, and by traveling two sides of a triangle 
come at last to the old hollow whitewood and 
there wait for the coming of John. If the lat- 
ter had made particularly good progress and 
had not loitered about the "big lick" too long, 
he should be arriving by early afternoon. Per- 
haps he had returned even now. 

"And I'll wager a pair of boots that he'll be 
hungry enough, too!" Kingdom said to himself 
as he concluded his reflections; and being re- 



174 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

minded by this that he was hungry, he ate some 
cold roasted venison, then looked out of the door 
once more for Fishing Bird, befofe creeping 
into bed. 

Believing now that he had not been watched 
or followed after leaving the Indian town on 
the day of the council, Return concluded that 
Lone-Elk was too busy with his own affairs to 
spend a great deal of time spying about the 
clearing. Yet when he started from the cabin 
the following morning he traveled in a direc- 
tion at right angles with that in which he wished 
to go, and moved very cautiously. He did not 
doubt that the Indians were searching for John 
Jerome, but concerning his own movements he 
reasoned that he would not be suspected of in- 
tending to go far, since he went on foot. And 
at the worst, if he found himself followed, he 
could gradually make his way home, leaving the 
spies no wiser than before. 

For a considerable distance Kingdom walked 
along the old trail to the east as if he were but 
strolling through the woods. The day was 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 175 

bright and sunny and except for the raw north 
wind would have been of an ideal Indian sum- 
mer type. Overhead great flocks of crows were 
cawing lustily. Eddies of the breeze whirled 
leaves here and there, and all in all there were 
many sounds abroad to drown the noise of foot- 
falls on the soft mold and the leafy carpet of 
the forest. 

For two miles or more Kingdom followed the 
irregular course of the eastward trail. Now he 
would turn abruptly to the north, he thought, 
and soon be safe from discovery in the un- 
marked depths of the woods. He paused and 
listened for a moment before leaving the path. 

Hark! The sound of footfalls soft as a cat's, 
but coming steadily nearer, reached the boy's 
ears. He was followed. 

Quick as the thought which flashed across his 
brain, and without noise, Kingdom stepped 
from the beaten trail and crouched behind a lit- 
tle knoll thickly overgrown with low bushes. 
Now if his pursuer, whoever he might be, would 
but pass on, he could effectually throw him off 



176 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

the scent before the latter discovered that his 
game had left the traveled path and so eluded 
him. 

The breathless interest with which Eee 
listened to the approach of the stealthy foot- 
falls can more easily be imagined than de- 
scribed. He had little doubt that it was Lone- 
Elk who was, dogging his movements. But soon 
he would know for certain. Whoever it was he 
would pass within a yard of the knoll and the 
brush which screened him. Would he go on by, 
and how far would he be likely to go before dis- 
covering that he had missed the course? 

The pursuer came quickly forward. His body 
was bent in an eager attitude of listening and 
careful watchfulness, as if he would look far 
ahead despite the brush and trees and the low 
boughs which shut out his view. A hound, fol- 
lowing a scent so faint that he might at any 
moment lose it, could not have been more intent 
or more keenly in earnest. 

Listening and watching with bated breath, 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 177 

Kingdom saw the fellow approach and steal 
quickly on. It was Lone-Elk. 

Hardly had the Seneca passed the spot of 
Kingdom's concealment, however, than he 
stopped, and stooping down, placed his ear to 
the ground. He seemed perplexed and uncer- 
tain. For several seconds he intently listened. 
But at last, still doubtful apparently, but anx- 
ious lest he was allowing himself to fall too far 
behind, he continued on, rather faster than be- 
fore. 

In spite of the danger of his position, King- 
dom could scarcely suppress an audible chuckle 
as he saw Lone-Elk outwitted; but he realized 
that he "laughs best who laughs last," and 
without losing an instant in self-congratulation 
he rose and stepped into the path again. The 
Seneca had passed out of sight. ' ' And so good- 
bye to you for this time," the boy thought, as 
he listened carefully and heard nothing, then 
exerting himself to the utmost to move quietly, 
he sped back along the path in the direction 
from which he had come. 



178 THE TRAIL OF THE SENBCA 

For a quarter of a mile Eee continued his 
flight, then with a sudden broad leap left the 
path and traveled more moderately toward the 
north and west. At every step through the un- 
broken woods he sought to avoid leaving any 
trail which could be followed. Too cautious and 
too wise to risk going straight forward to the 
hollow poplar, although he had every reason to 
believe he had completely eluded the Seneca, 
Kingdom loitered here and there and traveled 
quite a zig-zag course. 

By degrees, however, he came to the vicinity 
he sought and, to assure himself that he was 
not now watched, he sat down on a big boulder 
to rest and listen. As he waited he felt that 
somehow .his sense of satisfaction in having 
given Lone-Elk the slip was disappearing. Why 
was it? Had he "counted his chickens before 
they were hatched, " after all? The feeling 
grew on him that he was not alone, that some- 
where near there were eyes which were on him 
constantly. 

It is a dreadful sensation to feel that you are 



THB TRAIL OF THH SBNHCA 179 

spied upon. Even to imagine that some one is 
secretly watching every breath you take, gazing 
intently, as if to read your very thoughts, is 
painful. To Kingdom, with the conviction 
growing in his mind that Lone-Elk had picked 
up his trail and had at no time been far behind 
him, the feeling was almost enough to unnerve 
him. 

There was one way to determine whether this 
new trouble was real or imaginary, Kingdom 
told himself, and soon made use of it. Eising 
quickly, he started off at a brisk pace, looking 
neither to right nor left. Then, setting him- 
self to catch the slightest sound, he suddenly 
stopped. A thrill ran through him. The noise 
he heard was unmistakable. There was a dis- 
tinct rustling among the leaves. It stopped an 
instant after he did. 

Eee well knew the wonderful power many of 
the Indians had for following others in the 
woods, especially along unbeaten trails, without 
revealing themselves. He knew, too, that Lone- 
Elk of all others was most certain to be adept 



180 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

in such practices. To go on to the meeting 
place agreed upon with John would be, there- 
fore, the height of foolishness. 

Twice again Eee stopped to harken for his 
pursuer's footsteps. Once he was certain he 
heard them. The other time he was sure he 
heard nothing; but when he walked back along 
his own trail a little way, he was conscious of 
a shadow having moved among the trees in the 
distance, though he saw nothing more tangible. 

Bee's first impulse was to go in pursuit of 
the Seneca ; for he did not question the identity 
of the spy, but thinking better of it, he resolved 
slowly to change his course so as to go at no 
time near the old poplar. He would reach the 
river after a time and, following its banks, 
eventually return to the cabin. A grievous dis- 
appointment it was to give up the meeting with 
John, but there was no help for it if that young 
gentleman's scalp was to be kept in safety 
where nature placed it. 

Constant as his own shadow always, King- 
dom felt the Seneca's presence steadily near 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 181 

him. He did not need to look around. He did 
not need to pause or listen. In his heart he 
knew the redskin was close by, as well as if 
they were walking side by side. He was get- 
ting into the rough and broken country now, 
just back from the river valley. Soon he would 
alter his course again to head more directly 
toward home. 

Thus was Ree thinking when in a little gully, 
nearly hidden by high, precipitous banks, he 
suddenly beheld the ashes of a campfire and, 
spread upon a few broad strips of bark, some- 
thing white and glistening. It couldn't be snow. 
There had been none. It was salt spread out 
to dry. 

Like a flash the thought came to Eee and with 
it the certain conviction that John Jerome was 
just out of sight in the sheltered place below, 
or gone, perhaps, to keep the appointment at the 
old poplar. 

Instantly Kingdom changed his course. His 
whole effort now was to keep the Seneca from 
seeing what he had seen. He dared not run, 



182 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

lest he create suspicion in Lone-Elk's mind; 
but he quickened his pace and held to a direc- 
tion which he hoped would result in the Indian, 
intent only on watching him, cutting off the 
sharp corner he had turned and so not ap- 
proaching as near to the edge of the bluff as he 
had done. 

In his thoughts Eee scolded John Jerome 
sharply. What did the boy mean, anyway, by 
so exposing himself? What was the drying of 
a little salt from the "big lick" as compared 
to his own safety! And at a time when his very 
life was at stake ! 

At last the river was reached. Lone-Elk was 
still coming on behind. There could be no doubt 
of it. Repeatedly Kingdom had heard the 
gravel under his feet as the Seneca clambered 
down the steep banks after him. 

What a change his chance discovery of John's 
camp had caused, Eee thought. A little while 
ago he was distressed because the Indian was 
always coming after him. Now he would be 
worried, indeed, should he find that the fellow 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 183 

had discontinued the pursuit. If the Seneca 
should give up the chase now it could mean but 
one thing that he, too, had seen the camping 
place and was going there in search of more 
immediate results than his present labor prom- 
ised. 

A variety of tactics did Eee adopt to keep the 
pursuing Indian interested in watching him. 
Often did he pause and pretend to look all about 
with the greatest caution, and to listen closely, 
as if he had come at last to the very place which 
he had set out to reach. Again, he would sud- 
denly hurry forward among the trees, or dart 
in here or there amidst the bushes, as though 
trying to escape the observation of anyone who 
might be near. 

Up to the cabin was the game played. Only 
when the clearing was reached did it end. 
Tired, alarmed, and more or less out of spirits, 
as he reckoned the extent of time wasted a 
large part of the day; Kingdom sat down on a 
shock of corn which the Delawares had upset 
the night before. As he did so, he caught sight 



184 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

of the Indian for the first time since morning. 
The Seneca was moving silently from tree to 
tree, but apparently watching all that the white 
boy did. 

Moved by the grim humor of the long, un- 
availing chase he had led the redskin, Kingdom 
called out to the fellow: 

' ' Hi, there, Lone-Elk, haven 't you had enough 
of that sort of thing for one day?" 

In an instant the savage stepped into the 
clearing. 

"Paleface is a fool," he spoke in English, 
and raised his rifle menacingly. 

"Put up that gun, Lone-Elk, and come sit 
down here ! Come, sit down, and let's talk mat- 
ters over just by ourselves, ' ' Kingdom returned 
in a friendly tone. The ugly manner of the 
Indian really alarmed him, but he took this way 
of concealing the fact; and, moreover, if the 
Seneca could be persuaded to discuss their dif- 
ferences just between themselves, much might 
be accomplished. 

With a contemptuous "Ugh!" Lone-Elk 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 185 

threw his rifle over his arm again. But instead 
of accepting Kingdom's invitation, he turned 
into the woods and was soon gone from sight. 

Still Kingdom remained sitting on the bundle 
of fodder. He was thinking of John Jerome 
and the camp in the gully near the river. The 
more he reflected, the more inclined he was to 
believe that it was not John 's camp that he had 
discovered. How could John have brought salt 
from the "lick?" He had not had time enough 
to make any. That he had obtained it of some 
one whom he found there was possible, but 
hardly likely. But, on the other hand, if the 
camp was not John Jerome's, whose in the 
world was it? Who was spreading salt to dry 
in the depths of the Ohio wilderness ? 



CHAPTER XIII. 

THE SENECA OUTWITTED. 

So long as he believed Lone-Elk to be near 
the clearing, Eee was little better than a pris- 
oner, so far as going to find John Jerome was 
concerned; and as he realized that the Seneca 
might prolong his stay indefinitely, he turned 
his thoughts to some plan by which he might 
be rid of the fellow. He had no intention of 
letting Lone-Elk suspect what was in his mind, 
however. On the contrary, he would endure 
a great deal rather than give the Indian the 
satisfaction of knowing how greatly he desired 
to be alone. 

Sauntering leisurely to the cabin, Kingdom 
sat in the doorway to eat and drink, for he 
was still warm with the vigorous exercise of the 
forenoon. Then he fed the horses and for a 
time busied himself about the stable. Con- 
stantly was he alert to discover whether Lone- 
186 



THE TRAIL OF THH SBNHCA 187 

Elk was still in the vicinity, and as he watched 
through a crack from inside the barn, he several 
times saw the Indian. The unyielding savage 
was moving uneasily from point to point, but 
his eyes were turned always in the direction 
of the cabin, and his manner seemed to express 
a determination to look nowhere else for a long 
time to come. 

Surely it was enough to bring despair to any- 
one, Kingdom told himself. Then the thought 
came to him that maybe Lone-Elk was despair- 
ing quite as much as he. He recalled a rule 
that good old Captain Bowen had once laid 
down for him when he and John were planning 
their first trip west " Don't give up. When 
you are just about done for and you think you 
can't hold out a second longer, just keep your 
hold the stronger ; for you can depend on it that 
tl^e other fellow is more or less winded if you 
are, and you don't know but he is more." 

Gaining encouragement in such reflections, 
Kingdom set his teeth and a smile which was 
not pleasant to see came to his lips/ Very 



188 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

quietly and naturally, however, he carried a 
bucket of fresh water up from the river and 
went into the cabin and sat down. If he could 
do nothing else, he would slip through the barn 
and get into the woods in the darkness. He 
could lie by in some secluded place until morn- 
ing and for Lone-Elk to find him, after he had 
obtained such a start, would be more than even 
that determined redskin was likely to under- 
take. 

The shadows lengthened. With the thought 
of slipping away in the darkness in mind, King- 
dom let the fire die down and from loopholes 
constantly watched the clearing to make certain 
the Seneca did not approach the buildings and 
so be able to prevent his leaving. 

Slowly the gathering darkness deepened. It 
closed around the little log house and stump- 
dotted open space in the forest's fastnesses. It 
closed around Lone-Elk, the Seneca, unrelent- 
ing and vigilant. But it closed around another, 
too, who watched the cabin on the bluff with 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 189 

patience and with perseverance quite equal to 

the Indian's. 

* * # # 

When John Jerome awoke from the deep 
sleep into which he fell beside the log that pro- 
tected him not only from the night wind but 
from sight as well, if by any chance Indians or 
others should be passing, he stirred uneasily 
and at last sat up. A yelp and a sudden rust- 
ling of the leaves accompanied his movement. 
More startled than frightened, John leaped to 
his feet. Two pairs of eyes shone yellowish- 
green in the darkness, and a hungry growl came 
from the same direction. 

' ' Scatter, you varmints ! ' ' cried the boy, and 
clubbing his gun, sprang toward the creatures. 

The wolves retreated, but only a few steps. 
Again John leaped toward them and this time 
also sent a heavy, half -rotten limb from the old 
log flying after them. Made bold by hunger, 
however, the brutes only growled the more 
fiercely. 

' 1 Looks as if I'd have to give one of you a 



190 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

little lead/' the boy remarked, and calmly sat 
down on the fallen tree trunk. Still he hesi- 
tated to shoot, disliking both to waste the 
powder and to attract attention toward himself. 
He was still rather nervous from the shock re- 
ceived at the "lick." 

"Almost daylight, anyhow, " John reflected. 
"I'll get an early start." He sat quiet, there- 
fore, calmly eyeing the shining balls which 
gleamed at him until the first peep of light. 
Even then the wolves lingered near; but, pay- 
ing little further attention to them, the lad set 
off at a rapid pace, once more on the homeward 
way and thankful for it. 

Before the morning was far advanced Jerome 
found himself among familiar scenes. With 
boyish pleasure he greeted each fresh object 
that he recognized. A gnarled old oak, whose 
oddly twisted branches he had noticed more 
than once, seemed like an old friend. A tall 
stub of an ash, long since dead, but plainly 
marked by the claws of bears, was likewise a 
friendly landmark and he whispered, "Hello, 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 191 

there, you look natural !" as he might have done 
in greeting a fellow creature. 

Making rapid progress now, for he hoped Eee 
would be waiting at the hollow whitewood, the 
returned explorer arrived in the vicinity of that 
rendezvous somewhat before noon. As his cus- 
tom was, he made a wide circuit to reconnoiter 
before going to the tree itself, taking every step 
with care and keeping eyes wide open in all 
directions. 

John did not expect to see anyone or to find 
anything unusual in thus spying out ' l the lay of 
the land. ' ' He never had found the coast other- 
wise than clear; still he had no intention of 
revealing the fine hiding place in the old poplar 
by lack of reasonable prudence and so walked 
guardedly and with every sense alert. Some- 
thing like a shadow moved among the trees and 
bushes a hundred yards ahead. It might be 
only a bird, or a squirrel or some larger animal, 
but John sheltered himself behind a tree and 
looked again more carefully. 

"Lone-Elk!" 



192 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

The name he thought, but did not utter, and 
the sight of its owner sent a thrill through 
Little Paleface that made him hold his 
breath. The Indian was moving through the 
woods with an easy, natural stealth, so light, 
so silent, that if he had had the power of mak- 
ing himself all but invisible it could not have 
seemed more wonderful. 

John's first thought was that the Seneca was 
looking for him; but he quickly saw that this 
could not be, for his eyes were turned steadily 
and keenly in another direction. 

"The lead mine! He is stealing up to the 
secret lead mine just like a ghost !" was the 
boy's second mental exclamation. 

But again John was wrong, as the reader 
will have guessed. It was upon Return King- 
dom that the Indian had his eyes, and it was 
fortunate indeed for Little Paleface that the 
Seneca was too occupied in that direction to 
look in any other; for so intensely interested 
did the lad become in watching the creature's 
cat-like movements that he stood fairly in the 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 193 

open, an object of easy discovery had his pres- 
ence been suspected. 

The temptation came to John to shoot his 
accuser down. Had he not the right to kill one 
who at sight would kill him! he asked himself; 
and a half minute later, when he found that it 
was his bosom friend that the redskin was so 
secretly pursuing, he was doubly tempted to 
make an end of him. One bullet would do it. 
One bullet would settle this whole miserable 
witchcraft business. But how! What good 
would it do to have Lone-Elk out of the way if 
it became known that the "witch" was his 
slayer? 

Then John saw, or thought he saw, that King- 
dom knew he was followed. The whole truth 
came to him. Eee had set out to go to the white- 
wood but, being tracked by the Indian, had pur- 
posely refrained from going there. 

Eesolving to keep Lone-Elk in sight to give 
Kingdom any assistance he could, should the 
actions of the Indian become seriously threaten- 
ing, John followed after them. He allowed be- 



194 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

tween himself and the Seneca as great a dis- 
tance as was possible, still keeping him in view, 
but so swift and silent were the fellow's move- 
ments that it was a puzzle for the eye to follow 
him. 

With increasing interest in the mysterious 
game his friend. and the Indian were playing, 
John did not at once realize that, after one 
sharp turn he had made, Eee was headed home- 
ward. When he did make this discovery, how- 
ever, it was only to decide that he would go, 
too, and thus was presented in the wilderness 
depths the odd picture of one person being un- 
relentingly trailed by another, who, in turn, was 
watched and followed by a third. 

But even stranger things the unbounded 
woods of -the early days full often witnessed. 
Stranger dreams have never come to man than 
were many of the realities of life in the wilds 
of the middle west a hundred and odd years 
ago. 

While from one point at the clearing's edge 
Lone-Elk unceasingly bent his eyes upon the lit- 



THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 195 

tie log house on the bluff, John Jerome did like- 
wise from another. John, however, had two 
objects to keep within his scrutiny. One, and 
the most important one, was the Seneca. Still 
he had ample opportunity to see what Eee was 
doing, and with particular interest he watched 
his chum sit eating and drinking in the door- 
way. 

4 'And here I am, most starved, within sight 
of him!" the weary boy reflected. "Just wait 
till it's dark, you lonely old Elk you, and if 
you don't do something then, I will!" 

An hour had passed since night closed in. 
Return Kingdom still watched from loopholes, 
wondering in vain, looking in vain, to know 
what the Seneca's nocturnal tactics would be. 
No sign of the Indian had he seen since dark- 
ness shut out the view across the clearing. 

What was that noise? Bee started violently. 
The horses moved as if some one had come in 
the barn. In another second his ear was at a 
crack in the wall between the lean-to stable and 
the cabin, and he knew that something besides 



196 THE TRAIL OF THE SBNBCA 

the horses was stealthily moving yes, moving 
toward him; he heard it plainly now. What 
could that miserable, sneaking, malicious Indian 
be up to now! And then a whisper 

"Oh,. Bee!" 

' ' Blessed stars, John!" was the startled, 
whispered answer. "How did you come here! 
Don 't you know Lone-Elk is watching the house 
this very minute 1 ' ' 

But nevertheless it was with a feeling of much 
relief and real pleasure that, when Jerome had 
whispered back, "Well, I guess I do," Ree told 
him to creep in through the "cat-hole," while 
he himself noiselessly double-barred the cabin 
door. 

"Why, you had me scared into a catnip fit," 
said Kingdom, still whispering, as he felt about 
in the darkness for John's hand. 

"Did I! But say, do you know it's snowing? 
And how I'm to get away again, now that I'm 
here, without making a trail that a blind man 
could follow, I'm blest if I can tell." 

"Never mind that now, old chap," was the 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 197 

hopeful answer. "Rest yourself and I'll see 
what I can lay hands on for you to eat. I've 
got a few things to tell you after awhile. " 
' ' Things to tell, Bee ? Cracky, so have I ! " 
And Lone-Elk, sullen and ugly, determined 
and relentless, still watched the cabin with un- 
remitting perseverance from the deeper shad- 
ows of the woodpile at the clearing's edge. 



CHAPTEE XIV. 

THE MYSTERIOUS CAMP IN THE GULLY. 

"Honestly, my neck's out of joint, looking 
around trees all day," John declared. But he 
was so light-hearted, so glad to be home again, 
that he fairly giggled as he spoke. 

"Faith ! I'm glad you're here, unhealthy as 
it is for you," Kingdom answered. "What with 
Lone-Elk always just over my shoulder, and 
now with the snow on the ground, I don't know 
how I'd ever have managed to get to you in the 
woods!" And so the boys fell to telling each 
other all that each had been doing and all that 
had happened since their last meeting. 

Kingdom showed the greatest interest in the 
discovery of the bodies of the two men whom 
John had found dead under the brush heap at 
the salt springs. He inquired for eyery shred of 
information possible for John to give him, and 
tried his best to determine whether the murder 
198 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 199 

had been committed by Indians or white men. 
If it was done by white persons, he declared, 
the slayer or slayers had at any rate tried to 
make it appear that Indians were .the guilty 
ones. The carrying off the scalps of the dead 
and removing all valuables from the bodies in- 
dicated this. 

"Still, I don't see what it signifies, or how it 
makes any great difference to us, one way or 
another, " said John, as Eee intimated that he 
would have looked into the matter more thor- 
oughly had it been he who made the discovery. 

"Why, of course you do, John! Just think 
a minute ! I've told you about seeing that camp 
in the little hollow and the salt spread out to 
dry. Now, then, where did that salt come from 
if not from the big 'lick'? You mark my word 
that when we find out whose camping place that 
is, or was, we will know pretty well who did 
that killing. What we ought to do is to carry 
the whole story to Wayne 's men or to Fort Pitt ; 
but it wouldn't do any good to go there merely 
telling that we had found a couple of men dead. 



200 THE TRAIL OF THH SHNHCA 

Persons are found dead along the border, some- 
where, every day in the year. But if we could 
go to Wayne, or anyone else, and show them 
that the murderers were white robbers, and not 
simply sneaking redskins, there would be more 
of a chance to call somebody to account. ' ' 

"That's so," John answered rather thought- 
fully, yet in a way which showed Eee that he did 
not quite understand. 

' i Why, certainly ! ' ' Kingdom exclaimed some- 
what warmly. "If the camp I saw was the 
camp of the murderers, who is it likely that 
they are ! British ! That 's what ! British from 
Detroit, over in this part of the woods for no 
good purpose spying around Fort Pitt or 
stirring the Indians up to hostilities ! And that 
camp I saw was a white man 's camp ! Indians 
don't care much about salt to begin with, and 
in the second place what white men would be 
traveling in this direction and carrying salt 
with them but some one headed for Detroit or 
some other settlement off that way?" 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 201 

But having reached a conclusion that Indians, 
and no one else, were responsible for the two 
dead bodies beneath the brush pile, John could 
not easily get the notion out of his mind, and 
his interest in Kingdom's speculations was 
therefore much less than ordinarily it would 
have been. 

On the other hand Eee pieced together every 
scrap of evidence he could find the stained 
glove that John had picked up, the indications 
he noticed that others had journeyed toward 
the "lick" from the west, and the certainty his 
own find presented that some one had lately 
obtained salt, presumably from the springs, in 
quite considerable quantities. 

Extremely tired and too drowsy, now that he 
was in the midst of warmth and comfort again, 
to think much of the danger of his position, 
John fell into a doze on his bunk while King- 
dom still pondered upon the salt springs mys- 
tery. In the darkness Eee did not at once notice 
that Jerome was asleep. Later he made the 



202 THH TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

discovery and it was quite like him that he cov- 
ered his friend over with a bearskin, and set 
himself to watch till daybreak. 

It was fairly light when John awoke. Eee 
had already been out and the tracks he found 
showed that Lone-Elk had abandoned his watch. 
He had gone some time after it stopped snow- 
ing in the night, but there was no knowing when 
he might return. 

Although the fact did not occur to either of 
the two boys at the time, the coming of the snow 
was, under the circumstances, a blessing in dis- 
guise. For the Seneca, after watching vigilant- 
ly until nearly morning, and feeling confident 
that no one except Kingdom had entered the 
cabin, was equally sure that no one would do 
so now that the snow would at once reveal the 
trail. With this thought in mind he had quit 
his post and, so far as his own trail showed, 
had returned again to the town beside the lake. 

The perfect quiet within the clearing, and the 
sense of comfort and greater security which Eee 
found in having companionship once more, per- 



THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 203 

mitted him to be persuaded to lie down for the 
sleep and rest he so greatly needed, while the 
younger of the lads did guard duty at the loop- 
holes in the cabin wall. At the first sign of 
anyone approaching, it was agreed he should 
call Eee, then quickly conceal himself in the 
loft. Sooner than the boys expected, the worth 
of their plan was put to the test. 

A party of seven Indians, Wyandots from the 
region of Sandusky, traveling up the river in 
canoes, landed that morning at the point where 
the river met the portage trail, near the cabin 
of the young Palefaces. As did most of the In- 
dians for many miles around, they knew of the 
presence of the two venturesome white lads in 
the wilderness, and did not hesitate to stop for 
a warm bite to eat and to see what the Paleface 
brothers offered in the way of trade. 

Little did the Wyandots guess as they drew 
near the cabin, however, the flurry their pres- 
ence caused inside. A mere whisper from John 
awakened Eee. In a twinkling the latter sent 
Jerome climbing into the loft ' l like a scared rab- 



204 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

bit into its hole, ' ' as he afterward expressed it, 
and pulling the little ladder up after him. 

Kingdom greeted the visitors in his pleasant- 
est manner. They spread their hands before 
the bright blaze in the big fireplace, and ate 
heartily of the meat he set before them. Never- 
theless, when the strangers showed a disposi- 
tion to look about rather more closely than 
seemed natural, even standing on tip-toe to peer 
into the loft, the lad grew decidedly uneasy. 

As for John, he watched through a crack all 
that went on below with a great deal of interest, 
indeed. He was scarcely more than a foot 
above the heads of the taller Indians. The least 
sound from his direction would reach them and 
excite their suspicion. 

Would the Wyandots never go I 

Before they had been five minutes in the cabin 
Ree was wondering why they lingered so. 
Every second was magnified sixtyfold as he 
watched and waited, doing his best to appear 
perfectly at ease. 

"Much, skins up here," one swarthy young 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 205 

fellow with a single black and red feather in 
his hair remarked, and with his foot on a stool 
climbed partially into the loft. 

' 'Oh, not many you come down now, 
brother! You'll bring poles and all down on 
our heads," Eee answered, and quickly drawing 
the Wyandot down, placed the stool in a place 
where it would not be so readily available for 
such use again. 

"Have the Wyandots any salt to trade for 
knives or cloth or anything else we have for 
them?" asked Kingdom, hoping to obtain infor- 
mation which might be valuable. 

"No salt; Injuns got no salt. Paleface get 
big heap salt at big l lick, ' ' ' answered the leader 
of the band. "Paleface over yonder him have 
salt. Him trade, maybe." 

"Where? "Where over yonder do you mean?" 
Kingdom inquired, pretending to be little inter- 
ested. 

6 i Over yonder down river. Him have camp 
piece back from river, yonder. ' ' 

"Just one man, is it?" Eee asked. 



206 THB TRAIL OP THE SBNBCA 

' ' Ugh ! two leben four cuss ! Injun don 't 
know ! ' ' the Wyandot returned, and seeing that 
the redskin suspected that he was being 
11 pumped, " Eee changed the subject as natur- 
ally as he could. 

Every moment that the Wyandots tarried the 
boy feared their next words would be to ask 
where John was. All the Indians knew there 
were two of the white boys, and that they were 
usually together. Had these travelers learned 
of the charge of witchcraft against Little Pale- 
face ? Kingdom dared not turn their thoughts 
in that direction by any words pertaining to the 
subject, and he was glad enough to say good- 
bye to them, at last, even though on this point 
he had gleaned no information. 

There was no need for Kingdom to tell what 
had been said and done by the visitors when, 
after they were well out of sight, John came 
clambering down from the loft. 

"I'm getting awful tired of being a witch, 
Eee," the latter began, peeping out of a loop- 
hole. ' ' What in the world 's the use of our stay- 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 207 

ing here and living this way! I'm not com- 
plaining, old boy, you know I'm not; but this 
sort of thing is likely to last all winter. You 
can't find out how Big Buffalo was killed, and 
until you know, every mother's son of those 
Delawares swallow all that Lone-Elk tells them. 
So how's it going to end! Am I to jump and 
run like a whipped pup, all winter, every time 
we hear a noise!" 

" Just you wait, my son," Kingdom answered, 
quite gaily. "We know that the Seneca's hold 
on Captain Pipe is his secret lead mine. Sup- 
pose we find that mine ! Mr. Pipe will be glad 
to find out where it is. There! Now you see 
what I mean. You're just feeling a little cross 
because you had to stay out of sight. But here 's 
another thing, John. We agree that we don't 
intend to let any one Indian chase us away from 
here; but we have some business on hand be- 
sides that. We Ve got to find out, if we can, who 
killed those men at the salt springs. With all 
the reason we have for believing that the mur- 
derers are camped out just about under our 



208 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

very noses, we're bound to look after them, 
especially if they're white men, and well, you 
heard what the Wyandots said just two minutes 
ago. Don't you think, either, John," the older 
lad concluded very soberly, "that I don't see 
the danger we are in. I see it big and strong 
all around us; but we've gone too far to turn 
back unless we have to. If we can come out 
ahead of Lone-Elk just once, there will be no 
danger of his ever troubling us again. Pipe and 
all the Delawares will be our solid friends for 
all time. We don't want to sacrifice all we have 
done here and the good start we've made, do we, 
John?" 

Bee's last sentence was an appeal. Jerome 
might have argued against every other point, 
but not against that. "We'll stay here till 
water runs up hill, Eee, before we'll budge an 
inch except we want to," he declared with quiet 
emphasis. ' ' So what are we going to do next 1 ' ' 
he added. 

"Wait till the snow's gone," Eee answered 
cheerily. "It's thawing fast now and by after- 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 209 

noon we can hunt up that camp where I saw the 
salt spread out. Until then we will have to 
watch out that Lone-Elk doesn't come prowling 
around again. " 

"Good thing it's all we have to do. It's 
enough to keep one man busy," John returned, 
and undoubtedly he was right; but nevertheless 
their labor was for nothing this time. The 
Seneca was not discovered, nor was there a 
single visitor to the neighborhood of the clear- 
ing. 

Kingdom's prediction that the snow would 
soon be gone was quickly verified ; for the wind 
having changed to the southwest, a rain came 
up by noon which completed the work of the 
sun very quickly. 

Call to mind the most gloomy, misty, wet and 
altogether disagreeable fall day you can remem- 
ber, and you will have a fair idea of the sort 
of afternoon on which John Jerome and Eeturn 
Kingdom tramped cautiously through the woods 
in search of the camp of the suspected salt 
spring murderers. The gloom in the thicker 



210 THH TRAIL OP THE SBNBCA 

portions of the forest was little short of actual 
darkness and the mist or fog became so dense, 
as time went on, that objects were indistinguish- 
able at a distance of more than a few yards. 

The secret nature of their expedition and 
Kingdom's oft expressed belief that the camp 
they sought was occupied by British traders, or 
even soldiers from about Detroit, caused both 
the boys to feel a great deal of importance at- 
taching to their undertaking. Just what they 
expected to discover, however, or what they in- 
tended saying regarding the purpose of their 
visit, in case they found the birds in their nest, 
neither of the two could very well have told. 

Time and its developments answer many 
questions and so were the questions confront- 
ing Eee and John disposed of a little later. 
Kingdom had little difficulty in leading the way 
to the camp he had so strangely discovered. 
His familiarity with the woods for miles around 
would have made any spot in the vicinity of 
the cabin easily located. 

Favored by the mist and semi-darkness, the 



THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 211 

two boys readily approached very near to the 
edge of the little bluff from which they could 
look down upon the camp without danger of 
their presence being discovered. Then on hands 
and knees they went forward more cautiously. 

The birds, were gone. The nest was there, 
just as Bee had seen it, except that the salt had 
been taken away ; but the camp was unoccupied 
and the ruins of the campfire were cold and 
water-soaked. 

With much curiosity the two young detectives 
inspected the deserted camp and its surround- 
ings. Nothing could they find to indicate who 
its makers had been or whither they had gone. 
In vain did they examine the ground within a 
radius of several yards from the heap of dead 
ashes. They discovered not so much as a foot- 
print. 

Compelled at last to give up their search in 
disappointment, the boys were about to climb 
out of the protected nook the bluff formed on 
three sides of the camp, when John observed a 
small pile of wood such 'as would be gathered 



212 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

for a campfire in the forest. It was partially 
covered with leaves and being a rod or two 
from the site of the camp had not sooner been 
noticed. 

"It may mean that they're coming back and 
it may not, ' ' the lad remarked. As he spoke he 
saw Kingdom pick up something a few feet 
away and quietly put it in his pocket. 

"At any rate they're gone," Ree answered. 
"We may as well go, too." 

The boys climbed the ascent to the higher 
ground without further comment. When they 
had gone some distance John asked : 

' ' What was it that you found, Ree ! I thought 
I saw you pick something up." 

"What do you think, John? It was a glove, 
the mate to that other one. WTiat do you think 
of that?" was the low but earnest answer. 

And while the boys hurried quietly through 
the woods, there emerged from a small cave, 
screened from view by sumac and other bushes, 
in the little ravine, a roughly dressed man who 
climbed the bluff and gazed after them. 



CHAPTER XV. 

THE GIFT OF WHITE WAMPUM. 

The effect on the minds of the boys of the 
discovery Kingdom had made was much the 
same as if they had seen a ghost. A vague fear 
of something unexpressed and unknown took 
possession of them and they hastened through 
the misty, sodden forest as though expecting 
every minute to be pursued. Kingdom re- 
marked about their apprehensiveness. 

"We act like a couple of thieves," he de- 
clared, "the way we are hurrying to get away! 
But suppose we were seen hunting around that 
camp and it was noticed that I picked up this 
glove; it wouldn't be exactly healthy for us, I 
suppose 1 Still, it 's not that that makes us both 
nervous and fidgety as a fox in a trap ; but what 
is it?" 

"I don't know about you, but I'm thinking 
of those two dead men under the brush pile; 
just can't help it;" said John. "The man that 

213 



214 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

wore those gloves knows how the bodies came 
there, I'll bet a buckskin !" 

"Of course," was the answer, "but that's 
just what I have suspected all along. The deuce 
of it now is to know what we're going to do 
about it.' ; 

The darkness was coming on most rapidly. 
The dark, gray clouds seemed to settle down to 
the very ground. In half an hour it would be 
quite impossible to find one 's way safely through 
the woods, for not a breath of wind was stir- 
ring ; there would be absolutely nothing by which 
to be guided. 

Seeing'the importance of quickly reaching the 
neighborhood of the clearing, Kingdom pro- 
posed that John seek shelter for the night in 
the old whitewood while he continued on to the 
cabin. They would meet again soon after day- 
break in the morning. 

Having had some such plan in mind when set- 
ting out from home, the boys had blankets and 
provisions with them, and Jerome readily 
agreed to Bee's suggestion. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 215 

As the hollow poplar was now not far away, 
they parted company at once. Kingdom prom- 
ised to leave the cabin before daylight again, 
if he could do so without discovery, and to meet 
John at the whitewood for another visit to the 
camp in the gully. 

"And you wait for me', whatever happens," 
Kingdom said in admonition. "I'll be worry- 
ing all night if I think you're prowling around 
by yourself." 

"Worry fiddlesticks !" ejaculated the younger 
lad, with a laugh. ' ' What if I were to be wor- 
ried about you?" 

So the good-byes were said and ten minutes 
later John was snugly settled in the protecting 
trunk of the big hollow tree, glad enough to rest 
after his long tramp. 

Kingdom, meanwhile, was hurrying on at in- 
creased speed. He aimed to travel in a sort of 
semicircle so as to approach the cabin from a 
direction which would give no clue to the local- 
ity from which he had come. He had little 



216 THE TRAIL OP THH SENHCA 

doubt that Lone-Elk would be watching for him. 
Indeed, it was only the great probability that 
the Seneca would be prowling about the vicinity 
of the clearing that had made it seem necessary 
that he return home instead of spending the 
night with John. The boys wished to keep the 
Indian in ignorance of the fact that the " witch " 
was in the neighborhood at all. If they could 
succeed in this for a time, the redskins, Lone- 
Elk particularly, would conclude at last that 
search for the missing boy was useless. 

The complete darkness, the thick, cold mist 
and utter silence which pervaded the clearing 
and made it seem certainly the most desolate 
place in the world as he entered it, would have 
depressed and frightened bolder hearts than 
Kingdom's. He hurried up the familiar path, 
and ascended the slope to the little log house 
with dread. A whinny came from the stable. 
What a welcome sound it was ! And when, five 
minutes later, the blaze in the big fireplace was 
dispelling the shadows, it seemed also to dispel 
the dreadful feeling of. vague fear and home- 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 217 

sickness from Bee's mind. He was himself 
again. 

Worn out with much work and little rest for 
two days, Kingdom retired early. He knew 
that the dispirited condition, which sapped his 
courage .and destroyed his peace of mind and 
self-confidence, was due to his being completely 
tired out, and that sleep would make all the 
next day's problems seem easy by putting him 
in shape to meet them. And so thinking he 
fell asleep. 

It was near midnight, Kingdom thought, 
though really much earlier, when he was awak- 
ened. Some one rapped at the door, quietly, 
secretly. Again he heard it, thump, thump! 
two short, quick taps, sounding as if made 
with finger tips. 

"John!" was Eee's first thought; and he was 
out of his bunk in a second. 

"Who is it?" he asked in a low tone, before 
opening the door. 

"Fishing Bird lias something to tell white 
brother, ' ' came the answer in tones so guarded, 



218 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

that, filled with wonder and anxiety, Kingdom 
unbarred and opened the door in a trice. 

Instantly the Indian entered and Eee closed 
the door again. He felt, rather than saw, that 
the redskin was bedraggled, wet, cold and 
weary. He drew the visitor to the fireplace and 
sat him down. Though covered with ashes, the 
warm bed of coals gave off a comfortable de- 
gree of heat, and while the Indian leaned over 
the warm hearth, his host, still wondering, 
brought him meat and a dish of hominy. 

Fishing Bird ate heartily. As he was doing 
so, a tiny flame, which for a second blazed up 
above the ashes, showed that his condition was 
even worse than Ree had pictured it. From the 
soles of his worn-out moccasins to the top of the 
uncombed hair falling in coarse, untidy strings 
about his ears and down his back, he was very 
wet and very dirty. 

"What news, Fishing Bird?" Eee asked, 
when he had dressed and the visitor had eaten 
all he wished. "I've been wanting to see you 
for many days." 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 219 

"Ugh! Lone-Elk very bad!" the Indian re- 
plied, meditatively. "Fishing Bird watch him 
all day, watch him in the night, too. He goes 
many places, and don't go nowhere." 

Kingdom repressed a smile. He guessed at 
once that his friend had been trying to follow 
the Seneca to the secret lead mine, and had only 
his labor to show for it. A moment later the 
Indian confirmed this supposition. 

"Lone-Elk gone all day long and comes to 
the Delaware village in the night," Fishing 
Bird went on. ' ' Lone-Elk brings no lead. Next 
morning today Lone-Elk goes again and 
Fishing Bird follows behind. Maybe Lone-Elk 
be going to where lead is ; maybe going to watch 
young Palefaces. But him walk, walk, walk, all 
the time going on and on and never getting any- 
where at all. Never looking back ; never know- 
ing Fishing Bird comes on behind, so Lone-Elk 
went here, went there, all day. Night came and 
in the dark Lone-Elk got away and Fishing 
Bird couldn't watch him any more." 



220 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

1 i Maybe he was hunting for Little Paleface, ' ' 
Kingdom suggested. 

"Lone-Elk bad a mean, bad Seneca In- 
dian ! ' ' the weary and disgusted Delaware made 
answer. "Now Fishing Bird will tell news he 
came for. White Fox knows how Lone-Elk 
found tomahawk in the corn how Lone-Elk 
told that it was the witch's hatchet same 
hatchet that killed Big Buffalo. So Lone-Elk 
hangs the tomahawk at the door of his lodge 
and says with that hatchet he will kill the witch 
that killed the Delaware warrior. One time, 
two times, three times, did tomahawk fall down 
when Lone-Elk had hung it up. One time Lone- 
Elk a little mad. Two times Lone-Elk pretty 
mad. Three times, when hatchet fall down, 
Lone-Elk heap much mad. 

"Neohaw tell Lone-Elk not to hang toma- 
hawk up like that any more. Neohaw knows 
much. No Delaware knows all things like Neo- 
haw ; yet Lone-Elk holds his head high and asks 
if Neohaw thinks the Seneca is but a squaw to 
be frightened by such talk.'' 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 221 

The Indian paused. Much interested, King- 
dom waited with impatience for him to continue, 
but at length asked: 

' ' And what did the medicine-man of the Dela- 
wares say to that? What did Neohaw say!" 

"Neohaw tell Lone-Elk never mind. Some 
day tomahawk have more blood on it than now. 
Maybe it be Seneca blood. ' ' 

"Do the Delawares still believe all that Lone- 
Elk tells them about how Big Buffalo was killed 
by a witch, and believe that the witch was our 
friend, John!" Kingdom inquired. 

Fishing Bird nodded. " White brother shall 
hear more," he said, a moment later, as if hav- 
ing decided to reveal something he had at first 
thought he would not tell. "Listen, White Fox. 
Lone-Elk knows where lead is. Lone-Elk is a 
mighty warrior. Hopocon, that you call Cap- 
tain Pipe, wants Lone-Elk in the fighting that 
will come bime-by, and wants lead for Dela- 
wares, Chippewas, Wyandots, all the Indians 
that will be in the fighting off yonder," waving 
his hand toward the west and north. "So 



222 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

Hopocon sends white wampum as presents to 
the Seneca tribe for squaw of the warrior Lone- 
Elk killed. Because Lone-Elk killed a warrior, 
"White Fox knows, he can go back never to his 
own people. Only if the presents, sent by 
Hopocon, are taken by the squaw of the war- 
rior that was killed, will Lone-Elk be free to 
go here, go there, like other Indians. Then 
Hopocon will make him a Delaware. ' ' 

Eee did not know until now the history of the 
outcast Seneca. He had known that Lone-Elk 
was a fugitive, but never before more than sus- 
pected the reason. In a general way he under- 
stood the Indian custom that if the nearest rela- 
tive of one who was murdered received and ac- 
cepted from the murderer or his friends a pres- 
ent in token of regret and sorrow usually 
white wampum it meant that the crime was 
forgiven and fully wiped out. 

He knew, also, that if such a present was re- 
fused by the relatives or friends of the dead, 
that it meant but one thing that at the first 
opportunity they would have their revenge by 



THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 223 

taking the life of the murderer. The custom 
had prevailed among the Iroquois and many 
of the other Indians for generations. It was 
implicitly followed. 

The refusal of the peace offering usually 
meant eternal unforgiveness. It meant the 
exile of the murderer from his own tribe and 
the villages of his fathers forever. It meant 
death whenever one or more of the friends of 
the person killed started out to seek vengeance, 
death swift and certain unless the murderer 
succeeded in escaping them; but, once on the 
trail, the avengers knew no pause, no rest, no 
hardship too great to be undertaken, until their 
mission was accomplished. 

Instantly realizing the great importance of 
Fishing Bird's information, Eee asked him to 
go on and tell more of the Seneca 's history. 

The friendly Delaware, however, seemed to 
believe that he had told enough. Maybe he re- 
gretted that he had already been so confidential. 
He sought to speak of other things, therefore, 
until Kingdom asked point blank: 



224 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

"Will the friends of the one whom Lone-Elk 
killed be likely to accept the presents that have 
been sent, Fishing Bird?" 

The Delaware nodded decidedly in the af- 
firmative at first, then shook his head. He 
didn't know and couldn't guess, he stated, what 
view the dead man's relatives would take of 
the matter. It was the usual thing to receive 
such presents and grant forgiveness. A great 
deal depended on the nature of the crime, and 
the details of the murder Lone-Elk had com- 
mitted, Fishing Bird did not know, or if he did, 
he pretended ignorance. 

He believed the Seneca had struck another 
down with a tomahawk, and had afterward hid- 
den the hatchet near the Delaware town to 
which he had originally escaped, and whither he 
had again come after the battle with St. Glair's 
army. At least that was the story the squaws 
had whispered to one another. The warriors 
were too proud to take notice of such matters, 
especially since Lone-Elk, by his prowess, by 
his constant activity, and afterward by his 



THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 225 

knowing of the lead mine, had become a leader 
among them. 

All this information Fishing Bird rather re- 
luctantly imparted. He was very tired and just 
a little cross. In response to some further ques- 
tioning he said, plainly showing his impatience: 

"Fishing Bird has told the white brothers 
they must not stay here. Still it has done no 
good. Fishing Bird is the friend of the two 
young Palefaces, yet they must not ask of him 
what no Delaware can do." 

1 ' Come, Fishing Bird, ' ' Kee answered kindly, 
"we are not going to ask you to endanger your- 
self or any of your people on our account. We 
know and appreciate how much you have helped 
us, and but for one thing we would probably go 
away as you suggest. And now there is only 
one more question I want to ask you,- then you 
must lie down and rest till morning. Does Fish- 
ing Bird know of any other Palefaces, besides 
White Fox and Little Paleface, who are in 
the woods here ; any who have been getting salt 
somewhere ?" 



226 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

The Delaware had lost his spunky feeling en- 
tirely when he answered. He did not, he said, 
know of any other white persons in the woods 
anywhere about. He was quite sure there was 
none; for the Indians were very watchful now, 
lest Paleface spies come among them, and 
would be quite sure to discover any white per- 
sons who came near. 

A little later Eee spread a blanket and some 
skins upon the floor and urged Fishing Bird to 
lie down ; but instead, the Indian rose to go, nor 
could he be prevailed upon to remain. Think-, 
ing that perhaps he wished to be back to the 
village before the Seneca returned, Kingdom 
reluctantly opened the door for him, and he 
went forth into the cold and darkness, and the 
thick, raw mist swallowed him up immediately. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

A MIDNIGHT SUPPER 

Seated on a bed of dry leaves in the snug 
shelter of the old whitewood, John Jerome ate 
his supper. Kingdom had made fresh corn 
bread and hominy and roasted a whole quarter 
of a deer during his otherwise enforced idle- 
ness a couple of days earlier, and all these 
things were very much to John's taste. He en- 
joyed his supper so much, indeed, and felt so 
strong and hearty after he had eaten and rested 
for a time, that he crept out from his retreat 
and stood upright among the bushes concealing 
the hiding place. 

It lacked a little of being totally dark. Ex- 
cept for the dense fog, or mist, it would still be 
almost daylight, John thought, as he looked 
about him. He didn't feellike lying down to 
sleep at once. No, he wouldn't either. He 

227 



228 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

would go out just a little way beyond the thicket 
and see if he could not discover some sign of a 
campfire down in the gully. That pile of wood 
which he and Eee had found was not there for 
nothing. It meant that the camp was not per- 
manently abandoned. At any rate, he would 
see what he could see. 

With some such reflections, by way of excus- 
ing himself for doing what Kingdom had told 
him not to do, John made his way cautiously 
and slowly toward the protected valley and the 
mysterious camp there hidden. No light of any 
kind shone in that direction, however, and he 
reasoned with himself that it was useless to go 
further. Still, he thought, there could be no 
harm and no danger either when veiled by such 
a mist in going clear up to the edge of the bluff. 

Even while making excuses to himself John 
was edging stealthily onward. Soon the brink 
of the steep descent was just before him. He 
could not see into the valley but his familiarity 
with the trees and general lay of the land as- 
sured him that he had to go only a little farther 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 229 

to obtain a view of the mysterious camping 
place. 

In his eagerness the venturesome young man 
was quite forgetful of danger. Making scarcely 
an effort to conceal himself, indeed, he was 
pushing steadily forward when suddenly he 
was recalled to a realization of his carelessness 
in a manner he long remembered. 

With one 'foot on a fallen log, in the act of 
rising up to step quietly down on the other side, 
John unconsciously paused for an instant to 
get his balance. As he did so a scarcely audible 
sound of light but rapid footfalls greeted his 
ears, and the same moment there came into 
view the erect and muscular figure of the 
Seneca. 

The Indian was hardly more than five yards 
distant. Even in the thick mist and semi-dark- 
ness he must have seen John immediately had 
he paused or so much as turned his head for an 
instant. Fortunately he did neither and in 
another second he was out of sight. 

"The lead mine!" Jerome whispered, and 



230 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

immediately his imagination pictured some hid- 
den cavern near, and the Indian in the midst of 
the treasure. 

Intent on following the redskin, if possible, 
the foolhardy boy did not stop to reason or re- 
flect. After Lone-Elk he went and with such 
speed that soon the savage was only a few paces 
before him. The Indian halted for a moment. 
Again brought to the use of his sounder judg- 
ment with a jerk, John Jerome stopped no less 
quickly. Whether some sound, or the prompt- 
ing of some other of his keen senses had caused 
the Seneca to pause, the white boy could not 
determine. But when the Indian moved on, 
changing his course and heading more directly 
toward the river, the lad thought twice before 
he followed. 

Could it be that Lone-Elk, well aware that 
he was being trailed, was only leading his pur- 
suer on, suddenly to turn and kill him when the 
time and place were to his liking! The thought 
made John quite uncomfortable. 

Then, boy-like, he thought of the lead mine 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 231 

again, thereby deliberately putting temptation 
before himself; and the next moment he was 
again in pursuit of the Indian. He heard the 
fellow now and then, some distance in advance, 
but did not catch sight of him. It was quite 
dark now. He must be careful or he would 
come quite up to the savage without discovering 
him. 

Continuing cautiously, John had traversed 
nearly a quarter of a mile when he noticed that 
he no longer heard any sound of the Indian's 
movements. In vain he listened. The dark, 
mist-soaked forest was still as death. How in 
the world could the slippery redskin have dis- 
appeared so suddenly? 

Afraid to go on lest he fall fairly into the 
Seneca's arms, hesitating to turn back, the 
mystified boy stood pondering. 

1 1 There 's nothing for it but to make a note of 
this place and come again by daylight. The 
mine may be very near here," John told him- 
self at last. "It might be all right to wait and 
see if I don't see a light, after awhile. I most 



232 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

likely would see one if the mine is close by ; but 
it's getting so dark now, and 

And John Jerome was lost. He looked about, 
as he reached the conclusion that he must re- 
turn to his tree, but it was only to realize that 
he knew not which way to go. How careless 
he had been ! Why had he not observed more 
carefully the turnings of the chase he had been 
led! The darkness was deepening fast. He 
could not see the trees which but a brief time 
since were distinctly visible. 

' ' Of all the scatter-brain idiots that ever fol- 
lowed a wagon off, I'm the worst, I am for 
sure!" the anxious lad told himself, but with 
quiet determination set about to retrace his 
steps as best he could. 

Not a dozen steps had John taken, however, 
when he came in contact with a mass of low 
tangled underbrush. It had not obstructed the 
way before. Plainly then, he was headed in the 
wrong direction. Turning, he groped his way 
first to the right, then to the left. It was all to 
no purpose ; for not one familiar object could he 



THE TRAIL OF, THE SENECA 233 

discover, not one thing could he find which 
would help him to get his bearings. 

To be confused and uncertain which way to 
go in the darkness in one's own home is a most 
unpleasant predicament. North seems south 
and right seems left. 

On a larger scale and with the calculating 
part of the situation entirely removed, it was 
just such a predicament as this in which John 
was forced at last to acknowledge himself. 
Worn out, and filled with disappointment and 
the increasing despair which came with his 
every attempt to find the direction in which he 
wished to go, the lad sat down at the foot of a 
large tree to think. If he could but rid himself 
of the bewilderment that made him unable even 
to study out the probability as to which way 
was which, he would fare much better, he was 
sure. But the more he tried, the more uncer- 
tain he became. 

The ground was cold and very wet. The 
coarse bark of the tree, against which his hand 
was placed, was moist and clammy to the touch. 



234 THE TRAIL OF THE SBNBCA 

From the branches above^drops of water came 
dripping at intervals making what seemed a 
loud noise as they fell upon the leaves. The 
security and comparative comforts of the old 
whitewood seemed very pleasant indeed, now 
that they were so far from reach, and more than 
once John wished he had not left them. If the 
mist would but clear away and the clouds break 
enough to let him see the stars, he would be able 
to find his way. Until then, he concluded at 
last, he would do well to remain where he was. 

For a long time John had remained close to 
the tree at whose base he had first sat down. 
Sometimes sitting, sometimes standing, always 
listening and watching, he believed he had spent 
the larger part of the long night, when he heard 
at no great distance the sounds of an axe. In- 
stantly his attention was centered on the noise. 
It came from the right, the direction in which 
he felt the hollow poplar to be, though he knew, 
from trying, that his impression was wrong. 

Who could be using an axe in the depths of 
the forest at midnight? There could be but one 



THH TRAIL OF THE SENECA 235 

answer to the question the men at the camp 
in the gully or Lone-Elk. 

Thoroughly aroused, John vowed he would 
learn more. He would see, if he could, what the 
noise meant. Visions of the lead mine came to 
him, too, and without more ado he began to feel 
his way among the trees and through the dark- 
ness in the direction from which the sounds 
reached him. But in scarcely more than a min- 
ute the chopping ceased. From the first it had 
not been loud, sounding rather as if only small 
bits of wood were being broken up. Now the 
same awful quiet as before pervaded all the 
woods. 

Only a little way did John venture to go, with 
nothing to serve as a guide. Very recent ex- 
perience had taught him the uselessness of try- 
ing. But as he stood still, listening for some 
further sound, he became aware of a certain 
brightness in the mist some distance off. He 
guessed at once its meaning. "They were cut- 
ting wood to kindle a fire, of course," he told 



236 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

himself. "Now, then, my hunkies, we'll see 
who you are, at any rate ! ' ' 

Slowly and with much care to move quietly, 
John drew nearer the light. Very dull at first, 
it brightened not a great deal as he approached, 
so thick was the mist, and indeed it was not 
until the lad was at the very brink of the bluff 
above the little gully that he was sure of the 
location of the fire. As he had supposed, how- 
ever, the abandoned camp was now occupied. 
A kettle was hung upon a rude tripod and the 
cheery blaze was mounting up above it on all 
sides. 

Nothing but the fire and the kettle above it 
could John see, however, and if anyone was 
about he was hidden by the fog. No sound 
reached the watching boy either. Surely, he 
thought, there was something mysterious here, 
which hinted of dark secrets and of crime. 
' 1 But that kettle will boil dry if no one touches 
it; I'll see something if I wait long enough, " 
John reflected, and he was not kept a great 
while in suspense. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 237 

A tall, uncouth figure of a man dressed in 
ragged coat and trousers, and wearing a shape- 
less slouch hat, all of which contrasted oddly 
with the moccasins on his feet, stepped sud- 
denly from the outer darkness close to the blaze 
and stooped down, holding his arms about the 
fire as if he would hug it to him. He shivered 
and shook himself, then lifted the lid and peeped 
into the kettle. Sniffing, and nodding his head 
as though the kettle's contents pleased him, he 
returned the cover to the pot, then arose and 
in another second the mist and darkness had 
swallowed him up again. 

To say that John Jerome was greatly inter- 
ested in what he saw would not be telling the 
whole truth; for the fact was that he was not 
only interested, but excited beyond measure. 
His heart beat fast, and so strongly was he 
tempted to call out to the fellow that he thought 
he must hurry away, lest he yield to the strange 
desire with results which would almost cer- 
tainly be unfortunate. 

There was no doubt in John's mind that here 



238 THB TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 

was the murderer of tlie two men found dead at 
the "lick." He looked the part, seemed to 
have " murder " stamped in every fold of his 
tattered clothing, and on each separate hair of 
his stubby beard. Even without the evidence 
which Kee's discovery of the glove had fur- 
nished, Jerome would have been certain, he de- 
clared within himself, that this man was a vile 
wretch at best, and capable of committing mur- 
der, even if he never had done so. Why was 
he here? Why did he hide in so secret a place 
and come out like a fugitive criminal at night 
to kindle his fire and prepare his food? Where 
did he stay by day? 

These and many more questions came to John 
as he watched and waited. He wondered, too, 
whether the fellow was alone. It must be so. 
He would hear voices otherwise. However, if 
there were others present he probably would 
see them soon. They, also, would draw near the 
fire. 

Again the mysterious man came into the fire- 
light. John had a better view of his face this 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 239 

time, but the stubby beard and the long, coarse 
hair which fell about the fellow's ears con- 
cealed his countenance from scrutiny. As be- 
fore, the man looked into the steaming kettle. 
Then he rolled a small log nearer to the blaze 
with his foot and sat down upon it. Presently 
he lifted the pot from the fire and placed it be- 
side him, as if to cool. 

" Ready for you, Lone-Elk, my boy," the fel- 
low called quietly, and in answer to his hoarse 
voice the outcast Seneca stepped into the circle 
of light. As if perfectly at home, he, too, seated 
himself upon the log, and together the repulsive 
pair began to eat. The white man cut the meat 
in the kettle with a heavy hunting knife and, 
using their knives as spears, the two fished out 
pieces of the boiled leg of venison, for such it 
appeared to be, and ate greedily. 

The sight of Lone-Elk caused John much 
more alarm than he had yet felt. In a direct 
line the Indian was but eight or nine yards dis- 
tant. Fortunately his back was turned, and yet 
the slightest sound would reach him. Scarcely 



240 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

daring to move, therefore, the lad who watched 
the strange feast of the redskin and the scarcely 
less savage-appearing white man, continued a 
silent spectator of their repast. But when 
Lone-Elk rose, as if he cared for nothing more, 
and the white man also got up from the log, as 
if to say good-bye, John waited no longer. 
Cautiously as he could, he crept away, lest be- 
fore he could do so, the Seneca might be up the 
steep slope and fairly upon him. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

THE EXPLOSION. 

Thoughts of Simon Girty and of other rene- 
gade white men, cut-throats and robbers who 
had affiliated themselves with hostile Indians, 
and become more wicked, more merciless, more 
treacherous than the savages themselves, came 
to John's mind as he made what haste he could 
away from the haunted ravine. His reflections 
did not increase his mental comfort. Far from 
it ; for now he was more anxious than ever for 
the coming of daylight, or at least a clearing of 
the weather which would enable him to find 
security while he pondered on' what must be 
done. 

Fearing to go too far lest he again lose him- 
self in the fog, John sat down upon a little log, 
over which he had partially stumbled, to await 
the morning. He had listened as best he could 
but had heard no sound of the Seneca leaving 

241 



242 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

the camp. He thought he had, perhaps, made 
more haste to get away than was really neces- 
sary, after all, and as his excitement cooled, he 
was tempted again to take a peep at the strange 
scene he had witnessed. This notion, however, 
the lad put steadily behind him. He would not 
be too venturesome, he told himself. Even as 
it was he would get a good-natured scolding 
from Kingdom for having left the old poplar. 

The light in the distance, dimly visible 
through the mist, slowly faded. The campfire 
was dying out. Lone-Elk was gone now, no 
doubt, but which direction had he taken! John 
hoped he would not go to the clearing and by 
hanging about there keep Kingdom from setting 
forth. It would be remarkable if the Seneca 
could find his way. Moreover, Eee would be 
leaving the cabin before daylight. Maybe he 
had started even now. 

The dawn came just when John had ceased to 
look for and momentarily expect it. Indeed, 
he was quite surprised to notice suddenly that 
objects near were again visible. He made out 






<\ I IJ 




HE WHKELKI) AND SENT THE ItEDSKIN SPRAWLING. 
(See page 283.) 



THE TRAIL OF THH SBNHCA 243 

nothing clearly, but he could see a few feet in 
each direction and it was enough. Without hes- 
itation, and almost without stopping to note the 
way he was taking, he headed instinctively to- 
ward the old poplar and without the least 
trouble reached its shelter not many minutes 
later. 

His nerves still at high tension after the 
night's experience, Jerome's efforts to catch a 
wink of sleep were quite unavailing. He fell to 
thinking of the probable results which would 
have followed his shooting Lone-Elk as the In- 
dian sat beside the campfire. He thought more 
of the secret lead mine and wondered if the vil- 
lainous appearing white man and the Seneca 
were not partners in that enterprise. Surely 
there was reason to believe such to be the case. 
What other explanation of the white man's 
companionship with the Indian could be pre- 
sented? 

At last, when the daylight had fully come, 
John fell asleep. He was still dreaming when 
Eee Kingdom came and the latter, little guess- 



244 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

ing that he had not been sleeping just as 
soundly the whole night through, roused him 
with : 

"I declare, old chap, you seem to find this 
old tree as comfortable as a feather bed ! ' ' 

i 'Guess you would, too, Bee, if you'd been 
watching midnight feasts, and didn't know but 
they were cannibal feasts at that, and had been 
kept up all night. ' ' 

With a grin John noticed the surprise his 
words caused, and a determination he had 
formed earlier to break the news of his discov- 
eries gently was forgotten. In another minute 
he had related the substance of his night's ad- 
venture. 

"Well, say! I think you did have a busy 
night!" Eee exclaimed. "We've found the 
mine, John! There's no two ways about that! 
If that lead mine is not within a mighty short 
distance of the camp of those fellows, then I'm 
no prophet ! ' ' 

Kingdom's interest and pleasure in the dis- 
covery John had made could scarcely have been 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 245 

greater. But putting the subject aside for the 
moment, he gave his companion all the interest- 
ing information obtained from Fishing Bird, 
and the two then set about to plan their next 
movements. Quite naturally both wished to 
pay another visit to the strange camp in the 
gully. To do so, however, involved much risk. 
Lone-Elk might be, in fact, probably was, still 
loitering near. Again, if the occupant or oc- 
cupants of the camp discovered that their pres- 
ence was known to other white men, they would 
be very likely to change their location, and, no 
doubt, do all in their power to conceal every 
evidence of the lead mine's existence. 

4 'We've got to come upon them by surprise 
and not only capture the murderers of the men 
at the salt springs, but find the mine at the same 
time," said John. 

"If the mine is there, which we don't know, 
but only believe," Eee made answer. "Still," 
he went on, "there's only one other way to do 
it, and that is to keep a watch on the camp all 
the time till we find out more about it. Lone- 



246 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

Elk, bless him! is in the way of that pro- 
gram. And there 's another thing to think about, 
which is. what are we going to do with the mur- 
derers when we capture them!" 

i i Well, we can hardly say, i Come along now, 
and be hanged, as you deserve, ' ' Jerome sug- 
gested. 

For some time Kingdom was silent. At last 
he said, very thoughtfully and N slowly: 

4 'John, you must go to Fort Pitt or to 
Wayne's army. You must tell whoever is in 
charge just what has been found at the 'lick' 
and in the woods here. Bring back four or five 
good men and we'll seize the camp down there 
and everything and everybody in it. The men 
you bring can take the murderers back for trial, 
and I only hope we can find some evidence that 
will send the Seneca along with them. ' ' 

"But if we do, we may as well pull up stakes 
and go along ourselves, Eee. The Delawares 
would say we had been acting as spies for 
Wayne, sure!" 

"We can tell -what to do about that when the 



TEH TRAIL OF THE SENECA 247 

time comes," was the answer. "We know now 
that it won't do for us to attack the camp alone. 
We'd have a whole pack of warriors down on 
us before we could get a day's march away. 
We know that a murder has been committed 
and I hope we know what our solemn duty is, 
even if the finding of the lead mine be left out 
of consideration altogether." 

"Wouldn't you rather find the mine without 
letting everybody else know about it ? I would, ' ' 
John argued. "Not but what I like your plan 
all right," he added, "but if Wayne's army 
gets to find out there is a lead mine, and finds 
out where it is, too, I don't see how the fact that 
we know of it, the same as Lone-Elk, is going 
to do us any good with King Pipe." 

This reasoning puzzled Kingdom. In one 
way John was right, and he was forced to admit 
it. But he argued that, as law-abiding citizens, 
it was their duty to expose the murder that had 
been committed; that if they did not do* so, they 
were parties to the crime, the more particularly 
so since they held in their possession evidence 



248 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

so positive against the slayers of the two men 
at the springs. 

"I don't see why we need tell Wayne about 
the mine at all. It hasn't anything to do with 
the case anyway, " Jerome made answer. 

"All right. For we know of the one thing, 
and the mine is just our supposition, after all," 
was Eee's decision. "What we should or 
shouldn't tell we shall know when the time 
comes. You start for Pittsburg today, and I'll 
manage somehow to keep yonder robbers' roost 
under my eye till you are back with some re- 
liable men. And I tell you, John, don't bring 
green militia men, but good fighters men who 
know the woods." 

"I feel it in my bones, Bee, that this is going 
to be the end of the log house on the Cuya- 
hoga, ' ' John remarked somewhat later. ' ' Mind 
you, I'm not scared, and I'm not particularly 
caring if such a thing does happen, but the time 
has come when we've got to be either with the 
Indians or against them. Sure as the world, the 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 249 

Delawares will go against us for good, if we 
bring Wayne's men here." 

" Maybe so ; but we can only do what we think 
is the right thing to be done. Then we can face 
Captain Pipe or anybody else with a clean con- 
science. Don't be so glum, though! We've 
come through trouble far worse than this, and 
with flying colors ! ' ' 

It may have been that John Jerome received 
for a moment a glimpse of the future which 
Kingdom did not have. The latter took a cheer- 
ful view of the outcome of their plans. John 
could not do so, though usually optimistic. He 
did not hang back, however, nor question fur- 
ther the wisdom of his companion's desire to 
put into the hands of the law the fact that two 
apparently peaceable salt boilers had been most 
wickedly slain. 

Kingdom had brought to the hollow white- 
wood a generous supply of provisions, also 
fresh powder, lest John's stock had become 
damp and useless from the wet weather of the 



250 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

day before. There was no reason, then, why 
Jerome should not start at once with his mes- 
sage to Wayne, or to Fort Pitt, if "Mad An- 
thony" should be found no longer in his camp 
lower down on the Ohio. Thus, soon after a 
definite decision was reached by the boys, the 
younger lad set out. 

It was left to John to choose his own time 
and course, but he told Eee he would aim to 
strike the direct trail to Fort Pitt about a day's 
journey eastward from the cabin. With care, 
he hoped to avoid all possibly hostile Indians, 
and he would reach the Ohio in less than a week. 
Wayne 's men would wish, no doubt, to visit the 
salt springs to see the bodies of the murdered 
men before undertaking to apprehend the mur- 
derers, and so .nearly two weeks must elapse 
before he would see Kingdom again. The lat- 
ter agreed to be waiting for him, no matter 
when he came, and was hopeful he would have 
good news of some kind to impart by that time. 
Encouraged thus, and more cheerful than he 
had been for a time, John began his long jour- 



THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 251 

ney just as the shadows indicated the hour of 
noon. 

A south breeze and the sun had scattered the 
mist and the weather gave promise of being fine 
and warm for many days to come. John felt 
the influence of nature's brighter aspect at once 
when fairly under way, and would have looked 
upon his journey as upon a pleasant holiday 
had he had Kingdom's company. But that was 
not to be and he could only resolve to cover as 
much ground as possible every day. As he 
thought of the object of his journey, too, his in- 
terest in it increased and he anticipated with 
much satisfaction his pride in guiding a small 
company of soldiers through the woods on the 
important mission, for which, he was sure, Gen. 
Wayne would at once cause men to be detailed. 

Anxious to avoid a possible meeting with 
Lone-Elk, the young woodsman traveled with 
much caution, especially this first day. Later, 
when he had left the cabin far behind, he made 
less effort to conceal his trail and ceased to 
watch as vigilantly as before. To an accident, 



252 THE TRAIL OF -THE SBNHCA 

a^ much as to any recklessness on his part, how- 
ever, was due the sudden ending of John's ex- 
pectations. 

The boy had been three days upon the well- 
marked trail leading to the Ohio river and 
thence along that stream to Fort Pitt. It was 
the evening of hts fourth day since parting 
from Kingdom. He kindled a small fire close 
beside a large rock, thinking to have some warm 
meat for supper, then go on a half mile or more 
and sleep wherever chance offered. He would 
thus be well away from the scene by the time 
his fire attracted attention, if attract attention 
it should. 

John had placed his blanket and other surplus 
baggage upon the big rock and walked some dis- 
tance away to gather fine, dry wood. Suddenly 
a terrific explosion occurred. The young trav- 
eler saw his fire go flying in all directions, while 
a perfect shower of leaves, small sticks and bits 
of earth was dashed likewise into the air. He 
knew instantly what had happened. The extra 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 253 

pouch of powder Eee had brought for him had 
rolled from the big stone directly into the blaze. 

There was only one thing to do and that must 
be done quickly. The tremendous noise of the 
explosion would be heard for a long distance. 
So much louder than the report of a rifle was it 
that if Indians or others were within hearing 
they would most certainly make immediate in- 
vestigation. Without losing a moment, there- 
fore, John seized his blanket and other baggage 
which had been jarred off the stone, but away 
from the fire, fortunately, and rushed away 
through the woods at high speed. 

Now, anyone coming up to the place, drawn 
thither by the great noise, would be most likely 
to come by way of the trail, from one direction 
or the other, John Jerome quite properly rea- 
soned ; so, leaving the path at a sharp angle, he 
struck through the forest to the north. 

Fortune plays strange tricks with all of us. 
The whimsical dame played one on John which 
he long remembered ; for as he ran on and on 



254 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

among the trees, dodging in and out among the 
bushes in the dim twilight, he almost collided 
with a party of Indians hurrying almost as fast 
in one direction as he was fleeing in the other. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

FISHING BIRD IN TROUBLE. 

The days were always long to Kingdom 
when John was gone. From their childhood 
they had been much together. Even in the time 
of his bound-boy experience, with a harsh mas- 
ter to serve, Eee had found time for play occa- 
sionally only because John helped him with his 
work. He had never known any other intimate 
companion; had never cared for any. Now, 
far from all other friends, he valued John 
Jerome's friendship all the more and counted 
the days until the cheerful, helpful lad would 
be returning. 

Yet Kingdom had much to do even while he 
watched and waited. Lone-Elk frequently 
hovered near. He had grown more sullen and 
ugly than at first and Bee had little doubt of 
the fate the cabin would suffer if the Indian 

255 



256 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

were but given a chance to act without danger 
that he would be discovered. To watch for the 
Seneca's coming, then, and to keep an eye on 
him while he flitted about the edge of the 
clearing, disappearing, reappearing, coming 
and going like the ominous shadow he was, 
became as much a daily task as the care of the 
two horses. 

Twice in a week's time Bee found opportuni- 
ties to visit the vicinity of the mysterious camp 
in the gully. He saw no one, but he never re- 
mained long, for the freshness of the ashes and 
the altered position of the log in front of them 
each time were assurance that the tenants were 
not far away. 

It was the lead mine which kept the camp 
occupied, Kingdom now was certain. The hid- 
den treasure could not be far away. He had no 
doubt of his ability to find it if but given the 
chance to make unmolested search. 

It was while on little hunting trips into the 
woods to the north that the boy had visited the 
strange camping place. Though he made it a 



THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 257 

rule never to go a great distance from the cabin, 
game was plentiful and he rarely, if ever, 
returned empty-handed. The season for hunt- 
ing and trapping was now at its beginning. 
Each taste of its pleasures made the young 
pioneer long for the end of the trouble with 
Lone-Elk and a return of the days of security 
and care-free happiness which both he and John 
had so much enjoyed in the past. The thought 
that they would not return not, at least, until 
after many days and many dangers that he 
little anticipated, did not so much as come to 
his confident, self-reliant brain. 

Not since the "talk" with the Delawares had 
Kingdom been near Captain Pipe's village. He 
seldom left the clearing to go even a little dis- 
tance in that direction, though often he wished 
he might do so ; often wished he could talk the 
whole trouble over with Captain Pipe alone; 
often wished Fishing Bird would come, even if 
he brought no news. The friendly Delaware, he 
felt certain, feared for his own safety every 
time he visited the clearing. He must have 



258 THB TRAIL OP THE SBNHCA 

given up his watching of the Seneca, too. Per- 
haps he had been warned to do so. Time would 
tell. 

Thinking of these things, thinking of John, 
thinking of the work before him, Kingdom was 
busily occupied one afternoon, tying choice ears 
of corn together by the husks to hang them from 
the roof poles, when rapid footsteps near the 
open door caused him to spring hastily up. 

" Hello, here! Howdy, little brothers I" 
he exclaimed heartily, for before him stood 
Little Wolf and Long-Hair, two Indian boys, 
both of whom had shown for the young white 
settlers a warm friendship. 

With the true Indian showing of unmoved in- 
difference, the Delaware lads returned the 
greeting and Kingdom at once led them into the 
cabin and set before them the choicest bits of 
meat and bread the larder afforded. 

As the youthful braves ate, Eee inquired 
kindly concerning Captain Pipe, Neohaw and 
others of the Delawares, and presently asked 
about Fishing Bird desired to know if the 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 259 

spirits prospered him and where he had been 
so long that his Paleface friends had seen noth- 
ing of him. 

Eee did not recall the fact at the moment, but 
he remembered a few seconds later that Long- 
Hair was a brother of Fishing Bird, a rela- 
tionship which soon explained the object of the 
visit of the Indian lads. 

"Fishing Bird him Long-Hair and Little 
Wolf come to tell White Fox about, ' ' the former 
said. "Fishing Bird was hunting. Long- 
Knives caught him and Long-Knives going to 
kill Fishing Bird dead. " 

"Long-Hair! What are you saying? What 
do you mean ! ' ' cried Kingdom with such solemn 
but keen earnestness that the Delaware boy 
was quite startled. "Who will harm Fishing 
Bird?" 

"Yep; just as Long-Hair says," put in Little 
Wolf. ' ' Palefaces made Fishing Bird prisoner, 
where Paleface army is at the Eiver Ohio, and 
going to kill him." 

"Tell me, brothers, how do you know this! 



260 mn TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

Were you sent to tell the White Fox?" asked 
Ree, calling himself by the name the Indians 
had long ago given him. "This is terrible 
news you bring me! It cannot be!" 

Both the little redskins slowly nodded their 
heads in solemn confirmation of all they had 
said. 

"From Fort Pitt a runner came, telling Hop- 
ocon how Fishing Bird a prisoner is made a 
prisoner by Captain Wayne's warriors," said 
Long-Hair with the air of being a full-fledged 
warrior himself. "Gentle Maiden said Long- 
Hair must come fast and tell White Fox. ' ' 

"Little Wolf come too," said the other young- 
ster, bound to be included. 

"You both did just right. Gentle Maiden did 
right also ; for White Fox will not for a great 
deal let harm come to Fishing Bird, if he can 
help it," Kingdom briskly replied. "White 
Fox is going right away to ' Captain ' Wayne's 
men. Little Brothers will go back and tell 
Gentle Maiden this. Tell Gentle Maiden, and 
any others who ask, that Fishing Bird shall be 



THE TRAIL OF THB SENECA 261 

set free if White Fox and Little Paleface can 
possibly do it." 

Even as he spoke, Bee's mind was made up. 
In fifteen minutes he had saddled Phoebe, 
turned Neb out to graze and was closing the 
cabin preparatory to a rapid ride to Wayne's 
encampment. The Indian boys watched him 
gallop across the clearing, his rifle hanging 
before him from the saddle, his powder horn 
and bullet pouch, both freshly refilled, slung 
from his shoulder, his blanket and a hastily 
collected supply of provisions taking the usual 
place of saddle bags. 

' t White Fox is a mighty warrior, ' ' said Little 
Wolf admiringly. 

' ' White Fox is too good- to be a Paleface. 
Fishing Bird says the same thing," Long-Hair 
made answer. 

But Lone-Elk and a white man who was with 
him, crouching in the bushes by the river, 
watched the young horseman speed into the 
woods with altogether different feelings. 



262 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

Fishing Bird had been a prisoner in the 
strong, log guard-house more than four days 
at the time Kingdom dashed away to his rescue. 
The friendly Delaware, together with three 
others, had made the journey to the Ohio, drawn 
thither by curiosity, and perhaps, too, with some 
expectation of gaining intelligence of the in- 
creasing strength of the white commander's 
forces. 

Friendly Indians were coming and going in 
the vicinity of Wayne's " Legion " constantly, 
and the Delawares undoubtedly counted upon 
being classed among the neutral savages. But 
4 'Mad Anthony" was not asleep. While he 
waited to receive new recruits from the east, 
and drill his men to a point of proper efficiency, 
before making a start into hostile Indian 
country, he was constantly informing himself 
of the doings of the redskins in the interior in 
the northwest country, where, he knew, the in- 
evitable battle would eventually be. 

Wayne's staff of loyal scouts and trained 
woodsmen were likewise alert. Every day they 



THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 263 

gathered from one source or another some news 
of the preparations all the northwest tribes 
were making for a fight, which, they told one 
another, would sicken the Palefaces more than 
the defeat of St. Clair had done, and check the 
advance of the settlers upon their forest lands 
forever. 

Unfortunately for Fishing Bird, it so hap- 
pened that, just at the time he and his friends 
were spying about in the vicinity of the white 
army, Gen. Wayne ordered that some Indian 
from the interior be brought in and questioned. 
Six men went out to find and capture such a 
redskin. 

They came upon the little party of Delawares, 
encamped several miles from the river, just at 
daybreak. All were sleeping, but they heard 
the white men stealing upon them, and dashed 
into the woods without firing a shot. T-hree 
made their escape. One was caught and the un- 
happy Fishing Bird was he. 

Matters were made worse for the captive, too, 
by the redskins who had eluded capture return- 



264 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

ing and firing upon the white scouts. They in- 
tended, no doubt, to assist Fishing Bird to get 
away. But they caused him only so much the 
more trouble; for his captors made him bear 
the brunt of the wrath the hostile act excited in 
their minds. The still further result was that 
Fishing Bird, being mistreated, became ugly 
and obstinate. He refused to talk. He would 
tell the Palefaces nothing. Let them beat him, 
abuse and torture him as they would, he bore 
it all in sullen, defiant silence. 

1 i Chuck him in the guard-house ! Starve him ! 
Let him know that he 's got to talk or die ! Hang 
all the rascals, anyhow!" a captain had ex- 
claimed, and the unoffending Delaware was 
hustled off in no very tender manner. 

Gen. Wayne soon learned of what had taken 
place and caused Fishing Bird to be brought to 
his own cabin. He talked kindly to the Indian, 
but the latter was still smarting physically from 
the injuries, and smarting still more mentally 
from the bitter injustice of the punishment he 
had received, and remained obstinate. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 265 

"He evidently knows something. If he had 
nothing to tell he would be talkative enough/' 
"Mad Anthony" thought, and ordered Fishing 
Bird taken back to the guard-house. "Let him 
understand that he will not be harmed if he'll 
tell the truth, " he said, "but if he won't talk" 

In a short time the peaceable redskins in the 
vicinity learned what had been done with the 
Delaware and so before a great while the infor- 
mation reached the three warriors who had 
been his companions. Immediately they carried 
word to Captain Pipe. The latter was too 
proud to call upon Return Kingdom to exert 
himself in Fishing Bird's behalf, after the man- 
ner in which he had allowed the white boy to 
be treated, but Gentle Maiden did not hesitate. 
She sent Long-Hair and Little Wolf to the cabin 
at once. 

None of the Indians really knew, however, the 
many reasons Kingdom had for showing his 
friendship for Fishing Bird in the latter 's hour 
of need. They may have known that the two 
were more than usually friendly, but they did 



266 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

not guess how the young white settlers had 
often been assisted by the Delaware; nor did 
anyone besides Ree and John and Fishing Bird 
himself know of the terrible struggle in the 
woods that night two years ago, when Kingdom 
was so near to killing the young savage. 

The circumstances of the capture and deten- 
tion of Fishing Bird were not, of course, known 
to Kingdom until he reached Wayne's camp. 
Indeed, he puzzled his mind a great deal with 
the subject, as he traveled rapidly along the old 
trail to the east. Sometimes at a gallop, some- 
times at a walk, he kept to the course, but 
wherever the path would permit of it, he let 
Phoebe take her fastest gait and urged the 
docile and only too willing mare on and on. 

Kee camped at evening beneath some heavy, 
overhanging bushes at the foot of a steep hill. 
The night passed without incident and was fol- 
lowed by a long, hard day in the saddle. Every 
minute seemed most precious to the anxious boy 
and every delay of any kind vexed and worried 
him. He feared constantly that he would reach 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 267 

his destination too late. The very thought that 
he would arrive only to learn that the good, 
loyal Fishing Bird had been put to death filled 
him with anguish and alarm. 

Hardly could Kingdom endure to spend 
another night in camp. He wished to be push- 
ing forward. The delay of many hours was 
more than irksome. But he could make little 
progress in the darkness, he knew, and Phoebe 
would be the better the next day for the rest. 
Luckily the weather remained pleasant. For- 
tune favored him in this respect, at least. The 
second night of his journey, therefore, Ree 
spent in a sheltered spot beside a little stream, 
where a fine growth of grass afforded his horse 
abundant feed. 

Twice in the hour of darkness the lad heard 
far off an Indian's war-whoop. The sound 
alarmed him a great deal; not for his own 
safety so much as for the reason it gave him 
for believing the trouble along the border was 
far worse than he had supposed. And such, in 



268 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

fact, was the case, as the youthful pioneer was 
soon to learn. 

For the time, however, the threatening, dis- 
tant cries served only to make the solitary trav- 
eler somewhat uneasy in his lonely camp. But 
with the coming of morning, he thought little 
more of the matter, and it was not until he 
reached Wayne 's outposts and found that John 
Jerome had not arrived there that the night's 
disturbing sounds caused him any further 
anxiety. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

AN INTERVIEW WITH "MAD ANTHONY." 

The satisfaction and pleasure Kingdom felt 
in finding that Fishing Bird, though a prisoner, 
was still unharmed, was mixed with much dis- 
tress by the knowledge that nothing had been 
seen of John Jerome at Wayne's camp. True, 
it might be that John had gone directly to Fort 
Pitt ; but even in doing so he would pass in the 
immediate vicinity of the military encampment 
and it would be strange if he did not stop. 

Not the least light could any of the scouts or 
others with whom Eee talked throw upon the 
mystery of the missing boy. They agreed with 
his friend that he should have arrived at the 
Ohio several days ago, at least. Their views of 
the whole matter were most discouraging. 
Kingdom did not realize, they insisted, that the 
woods were full of hostile Indian bands; that 
all up and down the Ohio and for many miles 
in^ all directions, there was burning, pillaging 

269 



270 THB TRAIL OF THE SBNBCA 

and murder almost every day, and no man was 
safe when alone. 

Neither did Kingdom receive the least encour- 
agement when he suggested that a rescue party 
be formed to search for his missing chum. Gen. 
Wayne would not think of it, the men said. It 
was no unusual thing for a man to be taken 
prisoner, no unusual thing for a lone hunter to 
be scalped. If the army were to undertake the 
rescue of every captive, or the punishment of 
every party of Indian marauders, there would 
be time for nothing else. 

" Still, I must see Gen. Wayne himself, " 
Kingdom insisted. "Even if I can do nothing 
else for John Jerome, perhaps I can obtain free- 
dom for Fishing Bird, and he and I can do some- 
thing/' 

Still the party of petty officers, scouts, and 
soldiers with whom Kingdom talked shook their 
heads, and it was only after considerable urging 
that one of the men said he would try to arrange 
matters for Eee to see the commander. 

Kingdom had reached the encampment of 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 271 

Wayne's "Legion" at about mid-day. It was 
late in the afternoon when his new-found friend, 
a sergeant named Quayle, consented to see if 
Bee could not have a talk with Gen. Wayne him- 
self. The delay seemed past all understanding 
to Kingdom, little acquainted with army cus- 
toms and discipline. And when the sergeant 
returned, bringing a superior officer with him, 
who, after talking with the anxious lad, told 
him that the general would see him in the morn- 
ing, Kingdom's patience was sorely tried in- 
deed. He did, however, obtain an assurance 
from the officer that Fishing Bird would be well 
treated and injured no further until he could 
present his petition for the Indian's release, 
and with this he endeavored to be content. 

Unwilling to tell his whole story to anyone 
but "Mad Anthony" himself, Kingdom was 
unable to give the men with whom he mingled 
a great deal of information. They plied him 
with countless questions concerning the move- 
ments and general attitude of the Indians of the 
interior, and his experiences with them, but the 



272 THB TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

heart-sick boy felt little disposed to talk and 
gave them no more than civil answers. In vain 
he tried to get permission to visit Fishing Bird 
in the guard-house. Serg. Quayle told him it 
would be of no use, but not until one higher 
in authority had kindly but very definitely 
refused did Eee give up. 

Every hope Kingdom ventured to entertain 
now centered in Gen. Wayne, and time and 
again he went over in his mind all that he meant 
to say to the commander when the time came. 

He saw to it that Phoebe was given a place 
among the horses in the camp and properly fed 
and cared for, then accepted an invitation ex- 
tended by his friend, the sergeant, to have sup- 
per and spend the night with him. 

Had his thoughts been less occupied with the 
strange disappearance of John, and with his 
anxiety concerning the outcome of his interview 
with Gen. Wayne, Eee would have spent a jolly 
evening among the care-free spirits, woods- 
men, adventurers, regular soldiers and raw 
recruits who made up the bulk of the "Legion." 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 273 

There was romance in the life of nearly every 
man about him. There were stories untold, but 
to some extent readable, in the faces and figures 
and ways of all the scouts, the hardened Indian 
fighters, and the seasoned soldiers. There was 
much of interest, too, among the great variety 
of fellows who were plainly not long from the 
east. Some were outcasts and downright crim- 
inals undoubtedly; some were sons of highly 
respected fathers, banished from home, per- 
haps, or here only in search of adventure and 
excitement. Their stories, their songs, their 
speech and their dress all told of the strangely 
different walks of life from which they had 
come ; and gathered together here on the border 
of the great wilderness, while the campfires 
brightly burned, they made a truly romantic 
picture. 

It was a picture which would live in history, 
too, as time in due course told; for in the end 
it proved that no more efficient force ever in- 
vaded hostile Indian territory than Wayne led 
to final victory over the savages who had vowed 



274 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

to make the Ohio river the boundary between 
themselves and civilization for all time. 

The- men with whom Ree came in contact 
were, in their rough way, very kind to the 
young man from the depths of the woods. They 
urged him to join them and go down the Ohio 
and thence march into the woods with them, and 
they assured him that he would never find a 
better chief than "Old Mad Anthony. " To all 
these proposals Kingdom answered that he 
could think of nothing of the kind until John 
Jerome was found, living or dead, for which 
sentiment Sergeant Quayle heartily commended 
him. 

For the most part the men of Wayne's com- 
mand slept in the open air, but Sergeant Quayle 
and his intimate associates had erected a shelter 
of bark laid up against a pole placed across two 
forked sticks. Although one side of this crude 
structure was entirely open to the weather, the 
campfire made the fact scarcely unpleasant, and 
Kingdom found the soldiers' quarters quite 
comfortable. The lad was astir by the time 



THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 275 

the first early risers of the army were moving 
about, however, and impatiently waited the com- 
ing of the aide who was to take him to Gen. 
Wayne 's quarters. 

At last came the lieutenant whom Bee had 
seen the day before. With scarcely a word he 
signaled with a nod to the lad to accompany 
him, and silently conducted the young frontiers- 
man to a substantial log house. With a word to 
a sentry near, the officer opened the door and 
motioned to Kingdom to enter. 

"Mad Anthony" sat at breakfast alone. He 
looked up with sharp but not unkind scrutiny 
of his visitor as, cap in hand, the boy softly 
closed the door and stood awaiting his notice. 

"Sit down there and tell me your story," said 
the commander rather brusquely, indicating a 
three-legged stool near his table. Although he 
spoke in a quick, decisive way his voice was the 
kind which inspires confidence and the young 
visitor, though somewhat nervous, at no time 
was disconcerted by the business-like manner of 
the great soldier. 



276 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

" Gladly, sir/' said Kingdom, seating himself, 
but for a moment hesitating just where to be- 
gin. 

"Well, well, proceed then !" the general urged 
with a smile, and without further loss of time 
the boy told briefly who he was and what had 
brought him to the soldiers 7 camp. He men- 
tioned John Jerome's connection with his story 
and John's disappearance, alluding only briefly, 
for the time, to the murder at the salt springs, 
and to the charge of witchcraft that had been 
the beginning of the trouble. Of the lead mine 
he did not speak. 

"I see no reason why we cannot give this 
Indian you are interested in his liberty," said 
the general, when Eee had concluded. "But I 
am much afraid we can do nothing for your 
friend. Very likely he will turn up safe and 
sound before long. I am bound to say, though, 
that my advice to you would be that you do not 
go back to your cabin until these troublous times 
are over. How would you like to come with my 



THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 277 

men be one of my scouts and interpreters I 
Come, now?" 

Poor Ree, sadly disheartened, could only re- 
ply that if circumstances were different he 
would very much like to do so ; but as it was, 
well, he simply couldn't do anything until 
John Jerome was found. Then he told more 
fully of the trouble with Lone-Elk and how it 
had happened to result in the discovery of the 
two murdered men at the big "lick." 

Made more confident by Gen. Wayne's inter- 
est, he told of the strange camp in the gully and 
his reason for believing that the salt springs 
murderer or murderers were there. 

"You may be right," said the commander, 
"and you may be wrong. That two men, 
apparently men not fully accustomed to the 
woods, should have been killed and their 
bodies concealed in the brush, is, in these times, 
not surprising. And the fact being that these 
men are to us unknown, while it does not make 
the murder less distressing or less a crime, does 
present a reason for our not being duty bound 



278 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

to unravel the mystery and attempt to punish 
the perpetrators of the deed. In short, if we 
begin to follow up singly each red-handed out- 
rage committed along the border, we shall 
not have men for anything else. We can only 
bide our time and strike the savages collectively 
strike a blow that will bring both them and 
their British supporters to their senses a blow 
with something of suddenness about it." 

Kingdom's hopes had dwindled to nothing. 
He wanted help, help to find John Jerome, help 
to carry out his plan to capture the salt springs 
criminals, and while he was about it, help to 
show Lone-Elk that he had powerful friends at 
his back who might make very costly to the 
Seneca any injury which was done the two 
young settlers on the land for which the Dela- 
wares had received a fair price. 

Of course Gen. Wayne saw the whole trend of 
Kingdom's thoughts. There is a power pos- 
sessed, as a rule, by great generals in every 
walk of life, by which they see at a glance the 
workings of the minds of the less mature or 



THE TRAIL OF THE, SENHCA 279 

less able men about them. Kingdom, however, 
was bright enough to understand all this per- 
fectly, even while "Mad Anthony" talked with 
him. He felt that an injustice was done him. 
He knew that his motives were not by any 
means as selfish as they seemed. But how could 
he make himself better understood! He hesi- 
tated to try, and in his extremity, he played his 
last card the lead mine. 

Who can blame Return Kingdom if, when he 
told Gen. Wayne of the Seneca's secret, he went 
just a little beyond actual facts in his repre- 
sentation of the certainty of the mine's exist- 
ence? That he had never seen the mine, he 
was forced, as the commander questioned him, 
to admit. Yes, it was true, he acknowledged, 
that he had never heard of the lead mine before 
Lone-Elk came among the Delawares. Neither 
had he seen any lead from the mine, nor could 
he tell positively of any Indian who had seen 
any. The story Fishing Bird had told was the 
whole basis of his assertion that there was a 
lead mine somewhere along the Cuyahoga, and 



280 THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 

presumably it was not far from the mysterious 
camp in the ravine. 

6 ' Now have I all the information you can give 
me on this subject ?" asked Gen. Wayne, with 
something of a twinkle in his eye. 

"Yes, sir," Kingdom answered, the twinkle 
somehow making him feel more comfortable 
than he did before. 

"All right, then," and the general stepped to 
the door. "Have that Indian, Fishing Bird, 
brought to headquarters," he said to the man 
outside. 

"Mad Anthony" paced thoughtfully up and 
down the earthen floor of the single room of 
the cabin while he waited. Wondering, and 
more hopeful now, Kingdom tried to determine 
what the commander meant to do by glancing 
often at his knitted brow. 

In five minutes the Delaware, with a sullen 
air of pride, stepped into the cabin. In an in- 
stant, however, his manner changed. A look of 
pleasure came to his eyes and he held out his 
hand to Kingdom. 



THE TRAIL OF THH SHNHCA 281 

The greeting between the young woodsman 
and the Indian was pleasant to see. As soon 
as they had silently shaken hands, however, 
Gen. Wayne said : 

"Now, Fishing Bird, what can you tell me of 
a lead mine near your Cuyahoga river ? ' ' 

"The lead mine is the secret of Lone-Elk 
Lone-Elk, the Seneca, " the Delaware made an- 
swer. 

"Well, if I give you your liberty, will you go 
with this young man, your friend here, and some 
men I shall send with you, and see if you can 
find this mine? And will you help my young 
friend, whom you seem to know rather better 
than I do, find the boy who is accused of witch- 
craft !" 

"Anything White Fox asks will Fishing Bird 
do," the Indian replied, with quiet dignity. 



CHAPTER XX. 

DELIVERED TO THE DELA WARES. 

The effort it cost John Jerome to conceal his 
astonishment and his chagrin as he encountered 
the savages hurrying toward the scene of the 
explosion, from which he was hastening away, 
would be hard to describe. But he controlled 
himself sufficiently to say: 

' t Hello, here, brothers! Don't go up there 
or you may get blown sky high ! My powder 
pouch fell into the fire, and it tore things up to 
beat the Dutch." 

With this greeting and hastily given explana- 
tion of his being found running away, the boy 
was starting on, thinking to be gone before the 
Indians had recovered from their own surprise ; 
but in this he was disappointed. One fellow 
seized his hand, as if merely to shake it in 
friendly salutation, but continued to hold it and 
would not let him take it away. Quickly the 
282 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 283 

other savages gathered near and, though but a 
few seconds had passed, John saw that he was 
a prisoner and that his escape was intentionally 
cut completely off. 

The situation seemed to give the Indians vast- 
ly more pleasure than it gave Jerome. Their 
amusement and delight made itself manifest in 
curious ways. One, with a great show of inter- 
est, took the boy's rifle from him and pretended 
to examine it as though it were some very rare 
specimen. Another did likewise with his pistols, 
while a third bore off his powder horn. Still 
others playfully rapped their victim's shins 
and head with their gun barrels, driving him at 
last to such desperation that when one partic- 
ularly playful fellow pricked him suddenly from 
behind with a knife-point, he wheeled and with 
clenched fist sent the redskin sprawling among 
the leaves. 

The savage retaliated with the butt of his 
rifle, but now the party started on, two of them 
leading John between them, and for the time 
the annoyances ceased. The Indians went at 



284 THH TRAIL OF THE, SBNBCA 

once to the spot where the explosion had oc- 
curred, plainly marked in the gathering gloom 
by the remnants of the campfire. They in- 
spected the locality with considerable interest. 
There was little to see, however, and in a short 
time they were under way again. Their course, 
John was sorry to see, was in the direction of 
the Delaware village on the lake. 

Not until darkness made it quite impossible 
to go further did the savages pause. They 
chose as a camping place a slight depression in 
the ground, among some maples. The wind had 
gathered a deep drift of autumn leaves here, 
and as the captive lay down between two of the 
captors, he found his bed not otherwise uncom- 
fortable. A long piece of untanned buckskin 
had been tied about his waist, however, and as 
its . loose ends were tied to the waists of the 
Indians beside him, he realized that escape 
would be all but impossible. 

John had had abundant opportunity to study 
the Indians while on the march, but the fading 
light had made it impossible to see them dis- 



THB TRAIL OP THE SHNHCA 285 

tinctly. There were seven in the party, all 
young, active fellows, and all strangers. They 
were Shawnees, John decided. Where they had 
been, and whither they were going he could not 
guess. He did know that it would be pleasanter 
lying between the two redskins who guarded 
him, if they would but give him more room, and 
he knew that the paint bedecking the band was 
no sign of good. Not wholly hopeless, however, 
he fell asleep at last, wondering what Ree was 
doing. 

With daylight's coming the Indians kindled a 
fire and broiled some venison. They allowed 
their prisoner to eat all he wished, nor for the 
present was he tortured further with such antics 
as had been indulged in the night before. No 
haste was made to break camp and be on the 
move again by the band, but to the contrary, 
they were very deliberate in all they did. Dur- 
ing the morning they held a council and, though 
they spoke in guarded tones, John knew that he 
was the subject of their talk. 

The captive was glad to believe that none of 



286 THE TRAIL OF THB SENECA 

the Indians knew him. They would be for tak- 
ing him directly to the Delaware town, to place 
him at the mercy of Lone-Elk, if they were 
aware of the charge against him, he was cer- 
tain. If the savages asked him anything, he 
would in self-defense be bound to deceive them. 
Thinking of this made John think of deceiving 
the band still further. He would cause the sav- 
ages to believe that he was from Detroit, a 
British spy sent to ascertain the extent of 
Wayne's forces, and, of course, friendly to the 
Indians. 

The boy's opportunity to put his plan into 
practice came rather sooner than he expected. 
Within a few minutes one of the redskins who 
had their heads together in conference, came to 
him and asked in very fair English who he was 
and what he was doing in the woods so far from 
the settlements. 

"It's about time you were finding out, I 
think," John answered, with a show of injured 
innocence. "At Detroit we are taught to be- 
lieve that the English and the Indians are 



THE TRAIL OF THE SBNBCA 287 

brothers. We both hate the Americans, who 
are robbing all the tribes of the Northwest just 
as they robbed the Eastern tribes long ago, yet 
when my chief sends me to find out what moves 
the Americans are making to march into the 
forests of the Indians, lo! a party of my red 
brothers seize me and treat me as a prisoner !" 

The savage to whom John addressed his 
words of well-feigned righteous wrath looked 
puzzled, then a grin spread itself slowly over 
his lips. He summoned the other Indians and 
told them, in substance, what the captive said. 
Then in a tongue John did not understand he 
added a few words which made them all smile. 

Very much afraid that in some way he had 
gotten himself into a predicament, with his 
hastily concocted story, the lad felt at heart 
that he might have fared as well if he had told 
the truth ; but having made a start upon a dif- 
ferent road he was unwilling to turn back. 

Even when one of the redskins began to ques- 
tion him as to when he had left Detroit, and with 
whom and by what route he had traveled, he 



288 THE TRAIL OF THE' SENECA 

maintained his air of offended friendship, and 
answered as best he could. Asked the name of 
the person in command at Detroit at the time 
he left, he promptly answered, 1 1 Col. John Jen- 
kins, and you ought to know it, if you know any- 
thing about Detroit at all." 

John used the first name which came to him in 
replying to this question, and he answered many 
others just as rashly. From appearing puzzled 
the savages now seemed mightily amused. The 
prisoner noted the fact with chagrin, but stuck 
resolutely to his original story. The climax 
came, however, when he was asked if there had 
been much snow at Detroit when he left. 

"Why, no ; not much to speak of," he prompt- 
ly answered. 

The Indians looked at one another and 
grinned. Then one of them turned to him. 

"Paleface heap big liar," he said. 

"Why? Why am I? Because I said that 
there wasn't much snow! Well there wasn't! 
Of course there was lots of snow, but it wasn't 
any seven or eight feet deep ! ' ' 



THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 289 

"One heap big fool liar," the redskin reiter- 
ated. 

The Indians seemed to have satisfied them- 
selves completely as to the truthfulness of the 
prisoner. They gave his words no further at- 
tention, and how bitterly crestfallen, and in his 
heart ashamed and disgraced, he felt, no one 
knew so well as he, as they turned away to re- 
sume their conference. 

John realized that he had probably made bad 
matters worse. Seeing how anxious he was to 
deceive them, the redskins would be more than 
ordinarily distrustful of him and perhaps con- 
clude that he was one who, for some reason, was 
particularly hostile to them. They asked him 
no more questions now, but appeared to guard 
him even more closely than before. 

John thought so, at least, for his mind was 
turning with increased attentiveness to the pos- 
sibility of escape. Not the slightest prospect 
that a favorable opportunity would come to him 
did he see, however, and when the Indians re- 
sumed their journey a little later, he was put 



290 THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 

between the two most villainous looking fellows 
in the band. 

The course the savages took, in starting off 
this time, was slightly different from that pur- 
sued the night before. As nearly as John could 
reckon it would, if continued, land them, at the 
end of two or three days, at the "Crossing 
Place of the Muskingum," the point at which 
the Great Trail from Pittsburg to Detroit 
crossed the Muskingum river. Where this par- 
ticular party of savages did eventually find 
themselves, though, John Jerome never knew, 
nor did he ever learn definitely that they had 
come from Detroit, as he suspected. 

The reason for this presented itself the second 
day after the cross-questioning of the prisoner 
and the wretched failure of his effort to deceive. 
The Indians encamped at noon, after a leisurely 
journey through a fine forest country, beside a 
little spring bubbling from under the very trunk 
of a mammoth oak. They lingered here several 
hours and while they waited a party of five 



THE TRAIL OF THti SHNHCA 291 

bucks from Captain Pipe's town chanced sud- 
denly upon them. 

John recognized the fellows immediately. 
He knew, too, that they recognized him, though 
they did not at once pay any attention to him. 
It was not until after quite extensive greetings 
between them and the seven warriors in the 
Shawnee party, in fact, that they bestowed even 
a look upon the prisoner. Then they turned 
toward him with grins of malicious pleasure. 

Having learned that their prisoner was none 
other than the "witch," of whom they had 
heard as having been the cause of the death of 
that well known warrior, Big Buffalo, the Shaw- 
nees plainly regarded him now as a dangerous 
individual. A little later he was the subject of 
a long conversation between the young Dela- 
wares and his captors and the wretched boy 
quickly discovered that his worst fears were 
realized. For the five from Pipe's town were 
anxious to have him taken to their village, and 
the Shawnees appeared not to object. 

At some length the Delawares told of the cer- 



292 THE TRAIL OF THE SBNBCA 

tain evidence Lone-Elk had discovered the 
hatchet found in the corn the very hatchet with 
which Big Buffalo was killed, and of the long 
and fruitless search that had been made for the 
"witch." They urged the Shawnees to come 
and see the Paleface burned, and the killing of 
one of the greatest warriors of the Delawares 
avenged. 

In turn the band into whose merciless hands 
poor John had fallen told of the exciting times 
along the border, of burning and killing both 
by night and by day. They told, too, of much 
powder and much lead which the Indians could 
obtain at Detroit, and two of them exhibited 
brand new rifles. While they were anxious to 
see the " witch" destroyed, they said, they did 
not wish to go to Pipe's town as they were on 
their way to a fruitful source of plunder. 

'As John heard and understood a considerable 
part of the conversation, a determination to 
escape or die in the attempt rapidly grew with- 
in him. And when he heard an agreement 
reached that he should be turned over to the 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 293 

Delawares, while the Shawnees continued on 
their way, he set his mind intently upon the 
problem of getting away, or making an effort 
at least, let the cost be what it might. 

The Shawnees turned John over to the Dela- 
wares, after binding him securely, with many 
a kick and cuff. They particularly denounced 
him as a " f orked-tongued witch," and worked 
themselves into such passions of hatred that the 
prisoner was in imminent danger of being killed 
then and there. 

With his hands tied behind him, and led and 
dragged by a long rope of rawhide about his 
neck, the captive was taken in charge by the 
Delawares, and the two Indian bands set off in 
different directions. The mission of the Shaw- 
nees, as has been stated, John never learned; 
but he well knew the destination of the five 
young Delawares, and a lump of pain and bit- 
terness grew big in his throat as he thought of 
the cowardice and wretched injustice of it all. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

THE BURNING OF THE CABIN. 

Indian troubles along the border were per- 
haps never worse in the history of the North- 
west territory than in this year (1792) when Re- 
turn Kingdom and John Jerome daily lived sur- 
rounded by dangers, the true, awful extent of 
which they little realized. 

The scalping knife was never sharper, seldom 
bloodier. The torch was put to cabin after 
cabin. At mid-day and at midnight the flames 
which consumed the scattered evidences of civ- 
ilization west of the Ohio river leaped skyward. 
The fierce war-whoop rang defiantly from De- 
troit south to the settlements in Kentucky and 
no white man was safe. Harmless traders, and 
peaceable hunters as well as settlers were mur- 
dered and their scalps hung high on the lodges 
of the Delawares, Shawnees, Chippewas, Wyan- 
294 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 295 

dots, and all the tribes between the Wabash 
yiver and the Allegheny mountains. 

And all the while the British at Detroit were 
urging the Indians on, and all the while the 
authorities of the American government were 
urging moderation on Wayne's part and trying 
hopelessly to bring about peace. 

Some peace commissioners who were sent to 
treat with the Indians were at first received 
kindly, but without warning, a few days later, 
slain. 

News traveled far less rapidly in those days 
than now. A family might at midnight hear 
the redskins' dreadful yells and die fleeing from 
the fierce savages, even while flames devoured 
their home. But neighbors only a few miles 
distant would continue to dwell in supposed 
security, knowing nothing of the outrage, and 
so only the more readily fall victims of the same 
ferocious Indian band a little later. 

Indeed, it is not remarkable that Eeturn and 
John had felt little fear among the Indians, 
while living so far from the frontier that news 



296 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

of the terrible tragedies along the border did 
not reach them. Their entire plan for the fu- 
ture had been from the first to make the red- 
skins their friends. They had, -with some rather 
serious exceptions, in which they were not at 
fault, succeeded admirably until Lone-Elk in- 
cited Captain Pipe's people to hostility. But 
now, even had both the boys been at their cabin, 
and seemingly at peace with every tribe, as they 
had once been, they could not have failed to dis- 
cover evidence of the warlike activity about 
them. They would not only have seen but, very 
likely, have felt, the increasing hostility of every 
redman the vast wilds contained. 

No longer did the head men, such as Chief 
Hopocon or Captain Pipe, seek to restrain the 
bloodthirsty young warriors. They were al- 
lowed full sway. Treaties still fresh in their 
minds, such as that fixing the Cuyahoga and the 
portage trail as a definite boundary between the 
white men and their red brethren, were for- 
gotten or no more regarded than the leaves 
which drifted before the autumn winds. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 297 

The arrival of John Jerome; bound hand and 
foot, at the Delaware town on the lake was the 
signal for an outburst of ferocious savage hilar- 
ity, by no means comforting to that young 
gentleman. 

Twice had John attempted to escape from the 
five young bucks Indians scarcely older than 
himself and each time had he failed. First he 
had tried to buy his liberty and exerted every 
effort to prevail upon the youthful braves to 
give him his freedom, to give him at least a 
chance for it, a start of three yards, then the 
use of his hands and feet and no start at all. 
His endeavors and his pleading were all fruit- 
less. 

Determined to escape, then, John made a bold 
dash while the little party was on the march; 
but the strap which held him was strong, and 
he was stopped in a moment. His second at- 
tempt to get away was scarcely more successful. 
The Indians had paused to rest and refresh 
themselves beside a little lake which lay but a 
few miles from the Delaware town. One of the 



298 THE TRAIL OF THH SHNBCA 

fellows, the one who held the long strip of raw- 
hide tied to the captive's neck, lay down on the 
beach to drink. For a moment he released his 
hold on the strap and instantly John took ad- 
vantage of it. But he ran only a few rods be- 
fore two of the braves caught him, and the pun- 
ishment they and the others administered was 
severe. Then it was that the prisoner's feet 
as well as his hands were bound and so was he 
dragged into the village at last. 

In vain did John look about for Fishing Bird, 
for Gentle Maiden or some of the other Dela- 
wares who had been especially friendly in the 
past. Fishing Bird, of course, was not there, 
and Gentle Maiden remained out of sight. That 
she felt sympathy for the prisoner, however, is 
certain. She saw to it that proper food was car- 
ried to him, and exerted all her influence to pre- 
vent harm from coming to him. Especially did 
she urge that the sentence of death for witch- 
craft should not be executed until the return of 
Captain Pipe, who was gone to the Delaware 
town on the Muskingum. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 299 

As Lone-Elk, also, was away, and as he ha! 
a strong personal interest in the infliction of the 
punishment the Little Paleface must suffer, 
no more was done to end the captive's life at 
once. But one by one the Delawares informed 
John of what he must expect. Some told him 
his fate would be death at the stake. Others 
said that Lone-Elk would end everything with 
one mighty blow with the same hatchet that 
had caused Big Buffalo's death. 

Even these gloomy assurances, however, did 
not alarm poor John so much as the wild hostil- 
ity he saw everywhere about him nearly all 
the Indians in war paint, their war-whoops ring- 
ing out at every hour of the day and night, as 
they contemplated the extinction of both the 
settlers and later the whole Paleface army, 
gathering as they knew, to march against them. 
Much of the threatening demonstration was due 
to the keen zest of the younger savages. In the 
absence of their chief they were under no re- 
straint and the ferocious delight with which they 



300 THE TRAIL OF THB SENECA 

scented from afar the expected fighting was but 
a part of their nature. 

Day after day slipped by and Captain Pipe 
did not return. Confined in a rude hut, with- 
out fire and without comforts of any kind, ex- 
cepting sufficient food, such as it was, John 
Jerome suffered both in body and in spirit. 
But he was to suffer more later. Indeed, each 
day brought its additional burdens of grief and 
pain. 

Constantly watched as he was, the sorrowful 
boy found not one reason to believe that a 
chance to escape might come to him, and now 
was anxiety for his own safety more than 
doubled by the conviction forced upon him that 
Eeturn Kingdom was gone forever murdered, 
tortured, shot from ambush. He knew not how 
his life had been taken, but the certain evidence 
that Eee was dead was presented to him in the 
course of a night of savage barbarity the like 
of which few white men ever had equal oppor- 
tunities of seeing. 

It was late in the afternoon of an ideal In- 



THE TRAIL OP THE S'HNHCA 301 

dian summer day that Lone-Elk returned to the 
Delaware town. He brought bullets and this 
time powder also. Only a shrug of his bare 
shoulders marked his interest in the news when 
told that the " witch" was captured; that Lit- 
tle Paleface was even at the moment safely 
held captive beyond all possibility of escape. 

He did not so much as go to see and gloat 
over the unhappy prisoner; but a murderous 
gleam came in his eyes and he told Neohaw and 
several others that the stake and the fire would 
be the "witch's" portion when Captain Pipe 
came. He would not execute the death sentence 
before the chief's return, for then they would 
have a celebration which would be a lesson to 
all the Palefaces for many days to come, just 
as the burning of the "White Chief," Crawford, 
had been. 

Nevertheless Lone-Elk quickly laid his plans 
to torture and torment the young captive, and 
to instill in the minds of all the Delawares a 
hatred of every Paleface, and a belief in the 
certain ease with which their country might be 



302 THE TRAIL OF THH SBNECA 

rid of them. He arranged a war dance. Every 
warrior, every buck and brave in the village 
answered his summons. Gentle Maiden guessed 
at once the meaning of it all, as in the early 
twilight the fighting men of her father's people 
began to gather. It was useless for her to re- 
monstrate, and as the fierce, sharp cries that 
accompanied the horrid dance swelled in volume 
and in number, John himself was scarcely more 
apprehensive of the outcome than was she. 

Bound and round the campfire the savages 
danced. Their contortions of face and body, 
their violent shrieks and awful fervor were ter- 
rible to look upon. Fiercest of all was Lone- 
Elk. Louder than all the others was the war- 
whoop of the Seneca, and at midnight he had 
wrought to the highest pitch of bloodthirsty 
ardor every Delaware participating in the hor- 
rible revelry. 

"Come!" called the outcast loudly at last, 
' l Come ! Will the Delawares close their eyes in 
sleep when so near them is a house of the Pale- 
faces? A house that will draw others to it till 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 303 

the forests of the Indians are all cut down and 
they themselves driven away and killed ? Come ! 
"Who will come with Lone-Elk V 9 

A fierce chorus of war cries greeted his words. 
Drunk with excitement, the Delawares paused 
not to consider. With terrible yells they surged 
after the Seneca and like a shrieking band of 
fiends hurried rapidly through the moonlit 
forest. 

"Hold! Let the Delawares bring the Pale- 
face witch!" cried Lone-Elk. "Let the mur- 
derer of the brave Big Buffalo see the nest 
where birds of his kind are hatched go up in. 
fire!" 

No sooner said than done. A dozen of the 
fiercest of the band, mad with the passions that 
had been aroused within them, rushed back and 
in five minutes came dragging John Jerome 
after them. By a rope around his body, and by 
another about his neck, they both drove and 
pulled him. Their awful yells could have been 
heard for miles. 

Following the- portage trail to its end and 



304 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

crossing the .river, the savages broke into the 
clearing about the cabin a little further on at 
a run. Up the hill they went and with whoop- 
ing and yelling of impassioned fury they at- 
tacked the cabin, so humble, so quiet and so 
home-like and unoffending in its appearance 
that its destruction seemed the foulest crime in 
all of border warfare's awful annals. 

With tomahawks the door was beaten in, 
though but to have pulled the string would have 
raised the latch, and the mad race of pillage 
and plunder began. Everything breakable was 
thrown down and destroyed. Table, stools, bed- 
ding and all the little conveniences that Eee and 
John had been at such pains to plan and con- 
struct were thrown indiscriminately about. 

"Let the witch burn his own foul nest/' the 
Seneca yelled in his native tongue, but the cap- 
tive, trembling with anger and sickened by the 
awful scenes he was compelled to witness, un- 
derstood and drew back. In vain two Delawares 
who held him sought to force him to take and 
apply the torch that a third held out. They 



THE TRAIL OF THH SHNHCA 305 

burned his bare hands, set fire to his clothing 
and his hair, but to no purpose. He could not 
fight, but he could resist if it killed him, and 
resist John did, let the consequences be what 
they might. 

"Ugh! Ugh!" loudly ejaculated one of the 
older Indians impatiently, at last, and grabbing 
the burning hickory bark from the one who 
tried vainly to make the prisoner take it, he car- 
ried it quickly into the lean-to stable. 

In an instant the dry hay and fodder were in 
flames. In another minute the fire had reached 
the cabin. Soon the terrible glare filled all the 
clearing and while the home the boy pioneers 
had held so dear, and all the things within it 
which long association made them fondly cher- 
ish, turned black, then red and yielded at last 
to the crackling, roaring destroyer, the Indians 
danced about in savage celebration, brandishing 
tomahawks and scalping knives, yelling and 
shrieking like the untamed demons that they 
were. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

THE MAN IN THE RAVINE. 

Very little time indeed was required for Re- 
turn Kingdom to make clear to Fishing Bird 
the work he wished to do. The Delaware was 
decidedly surprised to learn that a white man, 
or men, of whom he knew nothing, were en- 
camped near the Cuyahoga and he also ex- 
hibited the liveliest interest in the information 
Ree gave him concerning the two men murdered 
at the salt springs. 

The probability that John Jerome had been 
captured, however, interested the Indian more 
than, all else, though it distressed him, too. 
Repeatedly he shook his head with an air of 
utmost gravity and regret. 

Gen. Wayne was a man who did things. Once 
his plans were formed, their execution went 
ahead without a moment's unnecessary delay, 
306 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 307 

and in a very short space of time he had caused 
men to be detailed to accompany Kingdom and 
his loyal friend. 

The boy's request that Sergeant Quayle be 
sent with him was promptly granted and that 
good-natured son of Erin with three others, all 
experienced woodsmen, gladly undertook the 
duty assigned them. They agreed with King- 
dom, too, that a large force of men would not 
be needed, and that by care a small party would 
be able to accomplish more than a greater num- 
ber. They would be far less likely to attract 
attention or invite an attack from ambush. 

Late in the afternoon the well-armed band 
set out. By common consent Kingdom was 
given general command, though he took counsel 
always with the others. Only one circumstance 
marred his perfect confidence in the expedition. 
This was the distrustful manner in which two 
of the woodsmen constantly regarded Fishing 
Bird. They were Indian haters and Indian 
fighters. They could "see no good in 'ary a 
single red mother's son of 'em/' as one of them 



308 THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 

expressed it, "and didn't care who knowed it." 

The Sergeant, however, was more charitably 
inclined. Being of buoyant spirits, too, when 
somewhat relieved of the camp's restraints, he 
kept everyone in a good humor with his droll 
remarks. 

Even over the badly decomposed bodies of 
the two unfortunate men, killed at the "big 
lick," his manner was the same. 

"Sure, they'd ha' be 'an far better presarved 
if put in the brine! An' so much o' it, handy 
like, 'tis a shame, it is!" said he. 

But notwithstanding, Quayle, as well as all 
the others, was much affected by the awful sight 
the removal of the brush heap disclosed. Eee 
knew from John's description just where to 
look for the bodies of the murdered men, and 
he hoped to find something that his friend 
might have overlooked, which would reveal the 
men's identities. Sergeant Quayle and the 
woodsmen had also been anxious to see if they 
could not tell who the unfortunates were, and 
it was for these reasons that the springs were 



THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 309 

visited, though they lay somewhat away from 
the direct trail. 

Nothing did the little party find to shed any 
light on the mysterious murder. The older 
woodsmen declared that both the dead men 
must have come from some distant point. If 
either had belonged anywhere in the vicinity of 
the Ohio river, they would have seen them at 
some time, they were sure. Sergeant Quayle 
was of the opinion, from the dress and general 
appearance of the murdered pair, that they had 
come from some of the British posts in the 
Northwest, probably Detroit. Yet he expressed 
the belief that Indians had committed the mur- 
der, and only when Kingdom reminded him of 
the evidence afforded by the pair of gloves that 
had been found, did he say: 

"Leastwise, we'll agree to this, lad; savages 
done it. White men or red men, they was black- 
hearted savages that done such a dirty deed ! ' ' 

The party spent a night in the vicinity of the 
salt springs. Though regretting the least delay, 
and anxious always to be pushing on, Kingdom 



310 THE TRAIL OF THH SENECA 

was greatly interested in the evidences of civil- 
ization having at one time had a foothold at the 
"lick," as John had been. He was fortunate 
in learning more about the matter than Jerome 
had learned, however, for one of the woodsmen 
a great, broad-shouldered young fellow, 
whose name, oddly enough, was Small, knew 
much about the springs. 

In camp at night he told the others how, sev- 
eral years earlier, Gen. Samuel H. Parsons had 
come from Connecticut and attempted to estab- 
lish a salt factory at the place. He undertook 
to purchase twenty-five thousand acres of land, 
embracing the springs and the territory about 
them, and expected to reap a great fortune. He 
was greatly disappointed in the quantity of salt 
the water contained, but might have carried out 
his plan, anyway, had it not been that, in re- 
turning from the springs to the east, he was 
drowned by the upsetting of his canoe at the 
Beaver falls. The purchase of the great tract 
he had intended buying, was, therefore, never 
completed. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 311 

1 1 But as a rule, lad, ye '11 note as ye go 
through life," said the Sergeant to Eee he 
nearly always addressed his words to Kingdom 
"as a rule, ye '11 note that parsons are more 
partial to poultry than to salt. Still, ye '11 do 
-well to tie to the parsons, Lord bless 'em! It's 
a preacher I'd ha' be 'an me ownsilf but fur " 

The Sergeant left his exclamation unfinished 
and with a sigh, which was also a chuckle, lay 
down and drew his blanket close about him. 

Kingdom planned to lead his party directly 
to the cabin on the Cuyahoga. He was hoping 
he would find John Jerome in that neighbor- 
hood or in hiding at the old poplar, even while 
he told himself how little ground he had for 
such a thought. 

Men coming to Wayne's camp from Fort 
Pitt had brought word that John had not been 
there, and where to look for him, excepting 
near the cabin, or among the Delawares, Eee did 
not know. He was depending on Fishing Bird to 
obtain information for him, however, and re- 
peatedly, on the journey west, the Indian would 



312 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

go a long distance from the others of the party 
to find, if possible, some wandering redskins 
who might be able to give him news of the cap- 
ture of the lad they sought. 

Although at no time was the Delaware in any 
way successful, he never failed to rejoin Kee 
and his white friends at night. In every way, 
both then and later, he proved himself thor- 
oughly trustworthy and loyal, despite the daily 
predictions of Jim Small that he would turn 
up missing when he was most wanted, and 
be found hostile when his friendship was most 
desired. 

The march through the forest wilds was inter- 
rupted by no incident of importance. Bee had 
left his horse at Wayne's encampment, as he 
had no wish to ride while others walked, and, 
under the circumstances, the mare would be a 
hindrance. Rapid progress was made by the 
" expedition, " as Sergeant Quayle always 
called the little band of six, however, and the 
increasing severity of the weather was almost 
the only hardship of the undertaking. 



THB TRAIL OF THE SENECA 313 

At the middle of an afternoon much pleas- 
anter than the raw, cold days which had pre- 
ceded it, the expedition reached a point only a 
few miles from the clearing and the river. A 
council of war was held and it was decided that 
Eee and Fishing Bird should go forward to 
look for John at the cabin, while Sergeant 
Quayle and the others turned off to the north to 
await their report at a certain rocky ledge of 
which both Kingdom and the woodsmen knew. 

The chief reason for this action was the 
secrecy which must be observed to prevent 
knowledge of the presence of so large a party 
reaching the mysterious camp in the gully. The 
camp itself would be inspected under cover of 
darkness and a decision could then be reached 
concerning the best time and manner of sur- 
prising the murderers, and effecting their cap- 
ture. If it were found that the camp seemed 
permanently occupied, and the occupants intend- 
ing to stay indefinitely, they would be allowed 
to rest in supposed security while John Jerome 
was being located. 



314 THE TRAIL OF THH SHNBCA 

Bee had seen from the first that the men who 
accompanied him were more keenly interested 
in the lead mine than anything else. He would 
rather have made the finding of John Jerome 
the first object to be achieved, but he gave way 
to the wishes 'of the Sergeant in this instance, 
and now he and Fishing Bird hastened on to the 
cabin. 

Cautiously Kingdom and the Delaware ap- 
proached the clearing. The sun shone lazily, 
the air, tjiough cool, was soft and still. Peace 
seemed everywhere. It was hard to believe the 
reverse was true. And then came the shock. 

From the edge of the woods Eee saw the 
awful work Lone-Elk and his warriors had 
done. Not a muscle of his face moved. Though 
even Fishing Bird sorrowfully shook his head 
and put his arm before his eyes to shut out the 
most unhappy scene, the boy remained cool and 
collected. No sign of the tempest of grief and 
boiling anger that raged within him was visible 
on the surface. With surprise the Delaware 
observed his calm demeanor and heard him say : 



THE TRAIL OF THE SHNBCA 315 

" Whose work this is, Fishing Bird, we don't 
know. Just what has been done, though, we can 
plainly see. I am afraid it means something 
worse. So what I want you to do, good Fishing 
Bird, is to hurry to the Delaware town. Hurry 
to the village and learn anything and all you 
can about what has happened to Little Pale- 
face. Whether the Delaware s know much, or 
nothing, come to me at the rocks where I am to 
meet my friends, tomorrow morning. Come 
early, Fishing Bird, and bring good news if you 
can. Bring bad news if you must. But most of 
all don't fail me." 

4 i Every word Fishing Bird understands, ' ' the 
Indian answered, and in another minute was 
gone. 

For a very short time Eee lingered at the 
clearing's edge. Tears came to his eyes, now 
that he was alone, when he looked at the fire- 
stained chimney rising like a spectre above the 
ruin of ashes around it, the only thing left of 
his home. Quickly, however, he wiped the evi- 
dence of his sorrow from his face. He glanced 



316 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

around for old Neb, the cart horse, but saw 
nothing of the animal. l ' They've taken him too, 
no doubt, ' ' he thought, and his heart grew more 
bitter and his face more stem, as he turned 
away. 

The ease with which Kingdom traversed the 
forest, up hill and down hill, and his familiarity 
with the country for miles around, enabled him 
to reach the meeting place at the rocky ledge 
almost as soon as Sergeant Quayle and his com- 
panions. Briefly he told them what he had seen. 
They asked questions which he could not 
answer, as he had not minutely inspected the 
clearing, but he did not tell them his reason for 
not having done so, though he knew it well. It 
was because he could not bear to undertake the 
heart-breaking task. 

"Anyway," said Sergeant Quayle, "our busi- 
ness tonight is V see this queer camp yeVe 
tould us of, an' hear what the redskin tells in 
the rnorninV 

So were plans made accordingly and after a 
cold supper all hands set out stealthily to in- 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 317 

spect the haunt of the mysterious man in the 
gully. Kee led the way, nor was his task diffi- 
cult. The light of a small campfire was seen 
reflected on the branches of the trees, even 
before the ravine was reached. 

Stooping low, and taking every step with 
care, all five approached the edge of the bluff. 
For a few minutes nothing more than the small 
blaze could be seen. But the fire had lately baen 
replenished with fresh wood and, with this evi- 
dence that some one was near, the watchers 
were content to wait. 

Soon a man came into view. He carried sev- 
eral slices of meat and, sprinkling them freely 
with salt from a pouch at his belt, prepared to 
broil them.- Little did he suspect how intently 
his every movement was scrutinized, for he 
mumbled to himself, and spread his great hands 
out to the warmth of the blaze, as if he had no 
thought but to enjoy the meal he was preparing. 
When the meat was cooked he ate greedily, then 
disappearing for a few seconds, returned with 
more. This he disposed of in the same way. 



318 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

For perhaps half an hour he continued to sit 
near the fire, but rising in a regretful manner, 
at last, he covered the embers with ashes, then 
disappeared and returned no more. 

Until far into the night Eee and his four com- 
panions remained watching, then cautiously 
withdrew. The moonlight filtered through the 
leafless branches of the trees and the air was 
very frosty. For warmth and rest Kingdom 
led the party to the hollow whitewood. Here a 
conference was held and the decision reached 
to return to the camp in the gully just before 
daybreak. 

Whether the others slept Eee did not know. 
They all were wrapped in their blankets and 
very quiet. But he knew that he did not sleep, 
nor could he had he tried. The loss of John, 
the burned cabin, the whole sorrowful end of all 
the bright hopes of a few weeks before kept his 
thoughts too unhappily occupied, and he was 
glad of the darkness that it concealed his grief 
and pain. 

Sometime before dawn Sergeant Quayle 



THE TRAIL OF THH SBNHCA 319 

stretched himself and sat up. Kingdom did 
likewise and the others were also soon astir. 
With the same care as before^they moved upon 
the haunted ravine, and chose their places, each 
a little distance from the others, but all where 
they could hurry down the steep hillside at a 
moment's notice. 

The sun was just rising as the tenant of the 
lonely camp came suddenly into the light, 
stretching himself and yawning. 

The click of the Sergeant's rifle as he cocked 
it was the signal, and it sounded loud enough. 
Silently, swiftly and almost noiselessly the five 
men descended the bluff, and, almost before the 
murderer's yawn permitted his mouth to close, 
it was open again, but this time in extraor- 
dinary astonishment. He was surrounded by 
stern, strange faces. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

ONE MYSTERY CLEARED AWAY. 

It was daylight when with parting war- 
whoops the Indians left the scene of the terrible 
fire they had kindled, dragging John Jerome by 
the thongs which bound him. But they took 
with them flames which threatened even greater 
danger to the Paleface boy the fires of excite- 
ment, hate and merciless cruelty which the 
night's barbarities had kindled in their brains. 
John realized this full well. Though the sav- 
ages had been rough and brutal in their treat- 
ment of him before, now they were still more 
so. No indignity, no suffering was too great 
to be inflicted upon him. 

Little wonder is' it that on his own account 
poor John wished for but two things the 
slightest opportunity to escape, or the end of it 
all quickly. Only the thoughts of Eeturn, and 
how his friend would be searching for him 
320 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 321 

everywhere, as soon as news reached his ears, 
buoyed up the wretched lad's drooping spirits 
and gave him strength to endure the cruelties 
heaped on his defenseless head. 

Tired out after their night's carousal, most 
of the savages lay down to rest upon their ar- 
rival at the village, and John was allowed also 
to sink into a troubled sleep, though watched 
constantly. It was about noon when he fully 
awoke, to find that something out of the ordi- 
nary was taking place. By degrees he discov- 
ered what it was, learned that Captain Pipe 
had returned and that explanations were being 
made concerning the burning of the cabin. 

Lone-Elk took upon himself the whole respon- 
sibility for the offense. The Little Paleface 
was a witch, he declared, and his brother, the 
White Fox, was a spy upon the Indians, and 
on the pretext of befriending Fishing Bird, had 
gone to Wayne's camp to carry word of the 
movements of the Delawares. 

The Seneca would have put the loyalty of 
Fishing Bird himself to the Delawares in ques- 
21 



322 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

tion had lie dared to do so, but he gained his 
point without it; gained all he sought praise 
for his own loyalty to the cause of the Indians 
as a whole; no censure for the pillage and de- 
struction of the white boys' cabin, and last and 
greatest of all, the assurance that the captive, 
Little Paleface, would be put to death. 

Let him be burned at the stake, Lone-Elk 
argued. Some of the younger Delawares had 
never seen a prisoner suffer by fire. It would 
warm their blood and teach them how to punish 
their enemies. 

"By fire, then, let the witch be killed, " Cap- 
tain Pipe had ordered, and the terrible sentence 
reached John Jerome in his guarded hut a little 
later. 

Four warriors came. They roughly stripped 
him of all clothing excepting his fringed buck- 
skin trousers, and painted his face and body 
black. Thus he was left for the time, as the hour 
of his torture was to be the following morning. 
But he was told to prepare for death and in- 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 323 

formed bluntly that with the rising of another 
sun he would bid farewell to earth forever. 

In vain did John ask to see Captain Pipe. 
The chief would not go near him. He asked 
for Gentle Maiden, knowing that she would in- 
tercede for him if she could. No word was 
taken to her. He asked for Neohaw. The old 
medicine-man came. He heard the lad's appeal, 
and shook his head. 

"Neohaw can do nothing/' he declared. 
"Lone-Elk is in favor with all the Delawares 
and with their great chief, Hopocon. No one 
can help the Little Paleface. Neohaw believes 
not that the Paleface brother killed Big Buffalo. 
Yet all the Delawares have harkened to the tale 
of the Seneca and the white boy must die. Let 
him then go bravely to the fire. Let him sing 
boldly to the last the death songs that his 
fathers taught him. ' ' 

John thanked the aged Indian for his sym- 
pathy and said no more. He did feel better, 
somehow, to know that there was one friend left 
in the village, where so many times he had been 
received with greatest favor in days gone by, 



324 THE TRAIL OF THB SBNBCA 

and resolved that if die he must, it would be 
bravely. 

Something very like tears, however, dimmed 
his eyes as he thought of his unhappy end. He 
held them back with an effort and, lest they 
come again, and be taken as evidence of fear or 
cowardice, he prayed for strength to meet the 
awful fate he must suffer like a man. He 
breathed a prayer for comfort for Eee King- 
dom and for the dear ones in far-away Con- 
necticut, when the news of his death should 
reach them. 

It was night now. The Indians made the 
most of it. Their war cries, as once again they 
engaged in the terrible dance, led, as always, 
by the bloodthirsty Seneca, were frightful. But 
to John Jerome a peace which passeth under- 
standing had come, and with thoughts of all the 
happy days his young life, so soon to close, had 
known, and in his heart a trusting faith that 
One who died for others would be with him to 
the end, he fell at last into soothing, restful 
slumber. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 325 

At dawn John awoke. The village was quiet. 
The two savages who stood guard over him 
seemed to be the only ones not still asleep, save 
for a trio of squaws rekindling the fires before 
their wigwams. The air was chill and raw, but 
crows were cawing lustily, and a bluejay 
screeched his harsh song near by. Soon the 
sun rose, pale but clear. It was a pleasant 
morning to be alive, a most gloomy one to die. 

Patiently the prisoner of the Delawares 
awaited the executioners. They soon would 
come, he thought, and nerved himself to meet 
them without a tremor. His lip quivered the 
least bit and a lump came in his throat, but 
outwardly he was so calm that the Indians 
watching him marveled at his courage, and told 
one another in whispers that witches were more 
than human. 

The morning went quickly by. Expecting 
each minute to see Lone-Elk and others coming 
for him, time seemed to John to go both slow 
and fast; slow, that no one came; fast, because 
each minute was so precious. Hope had not 



326 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

wholly left him, either. It might be, even now, 
he thought, that Neohaw or Gentle Maiden, or 
maybe Long-Hair or Little Wolf, had success- 
fully interceded in his behalf. 

At last two Indians came to relieve those who 
guarded the prisoner. The Delawares were 
stirring about in numbers now. John asked the 
new guards for food and it was brought to him. 
Then Neohaw came. In a kindly way he told 
the boy that the time of the burning had been 
changed and the torture fire would not be 
lighted until night. Against Lone-Elk's wishes, 
Captain Pipe had decided on this, as he had no 
wish to participate in the terrible festivities. 
He planned to go away near evening and leave 
everything to the Seneca. 

All day the more cruel of the Delawares ex- 
hibited their impatience. All day squaws were 
busy adding to the collection of wood about the 
burning-post, set firmly in the ground at the 
edge of the collection of huts and wigwams that 
comprised the town. Between the logs of his 
prison John could plainly see all that went on. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 327 

It was late in the afternoon. Night's shades 
were deepening. The sun had nearly sunk from 
view and a soft, golden light rested for a time 
on the bosom of the little lake. 

With a glad cry an Indian came leaping into 
the village. Fishing Bird it was, and his joy at 
being safe at home once more was great. In a 
moment, however, his happiness vanished. In 
a trice he discovered the burning-post and the 
fagots piled near it. He guessed its meaning 
instantly, and his fears were immediately con- 
firmed as he made inquiry. 

Captain Pipe was just leaving the village but 
stayed a few seconds to give Fishing Bird greet- 
ing. He listened gravely to the younger 
Indian's plea that the Little Paleface be 
spared. He shook his head. Then Fishing 
Bird told of the rapid ride Keturn Kingdom 
had made through the woods to save a Dela- 
ware's life, and called Long-Hair and Little 
Wolf to tell of the part they had had in that 
undertaking. 

"A council shall be held. The Delawares 



328 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

will give the one accused of witchcraft a fair 
trial/' said the chief at last. "If then it is 
found that, as a witch, the Little Paleface killed 
a warrior of the Delawares, he must suffer the 
penalty. Fishing Bird can ask nothing more." 

Very soberly the friendly Indian approached 
the place of the white boy's confinement and 
told him that for the present his life was spared. 

John's happiness in seeing the loyal fellow 
once again, and in having another friend at 
hand, was inexpressible. Soon he had learned 
all that the Delaware could tell him concerning 
Eee and what the latter had been doing. 

"One thing, then, Fishing Bird, you must do 
for me," he said. "Let Eee Kingdom know 
that I am to have a trial. Get Captain Pipe 
to let you bring him and his friends here. ' ' 

"Fishing Bird will bring them. Tell no- 
body," the Indian whispered, and withdrew. 

Before the coming of another day the Indian 
friend of the boy pioneers had left the village. 
He had found that the time of the council the 
Delawares would hold to place Little Paleface 



THH TRAIL OF THE SENECA 329 

on trial would be the following afternoon. The 
torture fire would be lighted in the evening, if 
the boy was found guilty, as was very certain 
to be the case. It was with great news to tell 
and many conflicting thoughts in mind, there- 
fore, that he sped through the woods to meet 
Return Kingdom at the spot agreed upon. 

Thus while Fishing Bird hastened to the 
meeting place from one point, Bee was making 
his way toward the same ledge of rocks from 
another. Without the least difficulty the lone 
occupant of the mysterious camp had been cap- 
tured and taken away. While Jim Small and 
another of the woodsmen watched the camp 
from the bushes to surprise and make prisoners 
of any confederates of the fellow, should such 
put in an appearance, Sergeant Quayle and the 
fourth of his squad held the murderer in close 
quarters at the hollow whitewood. Search of 
the camp would not be made, it was agreed, 
until Kingdom's return with Fishing Bird. 

Ree and the Delaware reached the place of 
meeting at about the same time. As the redskin 



330 THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 

came up, Kingdom searched his face anxiously 
for some clue to the tidings he brought. It was 
vain to do so. Indian-like, he could conceal his 
thoughts completely and he wanted the pleasure 
of telling what he had accomplished before its 
substance was surmised. 

He soon did tell, however, all that had hap- 
pened and very soberly, indeed, did Ree receive 
the news. How glad he was that Fishing Bird 
had reached the village so opportunely need 
not be told. The great question was what could 
be done to rescue John Jerome? 

"We'll ask the Sergeant what he thinks about 
it," said Kingdom as the Delaware told more 
fully of the desperate situation their friend was 
in. "Come, we must hurry. There'll be not 
a minute to lose." 

Another surprise awaited Bee when the old 
poplar was reached. 

"Whist! The dirty British pig has tould 
iverything!" whispered Sergeant Quayle, meet- 
ing Kingdom and the Indian at the edge of the 
thicket. "A foine thing it is, too, so it is!" 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 331 

And with these words the disgusted Irishman 
led the way forward. 

Within the hollow tree there lay a great bulk 
of a fellow groveling on the leaf-strewn earth, 
bewailing his fate, pleading for mercy, and 
altogether making of himself a most miserable, 
loathsome spectacle. 

"Oh, if I'd knowed it would come to this!" 
he blubbered. i ' Don 't let them punish me ! Oh, 
kind gentlemen, save me ! Let me go away and 
sin no more! Won't some one speak a kind 
word to me?" 

The abject fear of the craven, now that his 
crime had found him out, would have been 
pitiable had his whole manner not been so 
utterly contemptible. 

Giving little heed to the guilty wretch, how- 
ever, Eee at once apprised the Sergeant of the 
news Fishing Bird had brought and the latter 
was immediately sent to summon Jim Small 
and his companions for a conference. 

While he was gone Sergeant Quayle told, 
with many expletives and many invectives 



332 THH TRAIL OF THE SENHCA 

against the British, the confession the murderer 
had made. The fellow's name, it developed, was 
Lobb. He had been connected in an unofficial 
way with the British garrison at Detroit and 
had served a number of times as a go-between 
for the English officers in certain of their more 
or less secret dealings with the Indians. In 
consequence of these services he was chosen to 
accompany two men sent to encourage hostil- 
ities among the savages to the south of Lake 
Erie and as near the border of the American 
settlements as they should deem it prudent to 
go. 

The party traveled by canoe, Lobb had said, 
and coasting along the southern shore of Lake 
Erie, reached and ascended the Cuyahoga river. 
In the course of this trip they fell in with Lone- 
Elk, roaming the woods alone, as his frequent 
custom was. The Seneca was not unknown to 
the men, for he had visited Detroit and offered 
his services to the British when forced to flee 
from his home among his own people. 

For various reasons, but principally because 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 333 

they feared some news of their presence would 
reach Fort Pitt or Gen. Wayne, the men con- 
cluded to do all their business with the Indians 
of the locality through Lone-Elk. He would 
distribute their bounty, the powder and the bul- 
lets they brought, also gold for those who cared 
for it. 

Not long had the men been in the vicinity 
when they decided to visit the salt springs of 
which they had heard a great deal. To conceal 
their identity they concluded, also, that they 
would make some salt while there, pretending 
that such was the sole purpose of their pres- 
ence. 

It was at the springs that Lobb's cupidity 
got the better of his natural cowardice and what 
little decency he "possessed. With a view to 
obtaining the gold in the party's possession, 
and thinking then to escape to the east in dis- 
guise, he concealed himself and shot both his 
comrades just as they were preparing to leave 
the springs. To convey the impression that 
Indians had done the awful deed he scalped 



334 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

both men. Then, filled with fear lest the bodies 
be found before he could get away, he had 
dragged them into the woods and covered them 
with brush. 

"Well, why did he hang around here? What 
did he say about the lead mine?" asked Ree, as 
the Sergeant finished. 

"Sure, it's all the farther he wint with his 
black yarn, fer with <ye dirty cur, ye!' I give 
him a push an' a shove an' he landed where he's 
still layin', hard an' fast ferninst the ground 
there." 

Lobb was questioned further by Kingdom 
immediately. The boy believed he saw in the 
loathsome creature's story reason to believe 
that the Delawares had been grievously de- 
ceived by the Seneca. 

Whining and groaning, the self-confessed 
murderer continued his story. He had been 
afraid to go on east from the springs, he said, 
and made all haste back to the Cuyahoga, where 
he and his companions had established head- 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 335 

quarters in a small cave, originally pointed out 
to them by Lone-Elk. 

From here he dared move in no direction. 
He was afraid to return to Detroit afraid to 
go east, west, north or south. Knowing of the 
presence of the two boy pioneers, a few miles 
away, his fears were greatly increased lest they 
discover him and guess his guilty secret. Day 
after day, then, he had lived in the hole in the 
hillside, coming out only at night to prepare 
food, or when forced to go in search of fresh 
meat. 

Imploring mercy and begging for freedom, 
the fellow concluded his statement. 

" You've told everything, have you!" King- 
dom asked with as little harshness as his feel- 
ings would permit. 

"Aye, master, aye -- every thing, " Lobb 
whined. 

"So it was you, then, who supplied Lone-Elk 
with lead and bullets, and his story of a lead 
mine was a story and nothing more!" the boy 
demanded. 



336 THE TRAIL OP THB SHNHCA 

"I guess so. I don't know anything about a 
lead mine, master. Truly I don't know any- 
thing about it. I do remember though, come to 
think, that Lone-Elk said once that I was his 
lead mine and I must look out that the Pale- 
faces didn't find it out." 

4 'You hear that, Sergeant?" exclaimed Eee, 
with some excitement. i l Now let us see whether 
that sneaking Seneca will continue to rule the 
Delawares ! ' ' 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

WHO KILLED BIG BUFFALO? 

Even before Kingdom finished questioning 
the murderer, Fishing Bird had come up bring- 
ing the two woodsmen from the gully. All three 
were quickly informed of Lobb's confession and 
of the discovery of John Jerome and the great 
danger surrounding him. The entire party 
looked to Ree for a suggestion. 

"We've got to act and act quickly," the lad 
said in a low tone. * ' If Fishing Bird will be our 
escort, I propose that we go to the Delaware 
town as fast as we can go. If Captain Pipe 
can be made to understand that Lone-Elk has 
deceived the Dela wares in one way, we can, with 
Fishing Bird's help, and Lobb's confession, 
bring him to his senses about this witchcraft 
business." 

"Lone-Elk's a bad 'un. He killed a Seneca 

337 



338 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

and had to leave home," put in Lobb, who had 
listened attentively. 

"Huh!" snorted Sergeant Quayle. "Cain 
killed Abel an' had to leave home ; but he didn't 
go bush-whackin' two men from behind!" 

"And what about Mr. Lobb, . anyhow ? We 
can't leave him, once we've had the pleasure of 
his company 1 ' ' put in Jim Small, with sarcasm. 

"Take him along," said another of the 
woodsmen. 

"Yes, that is what I had in mind," Kee 
answered. "He can tell Pipe what he has told 
us. But we must be moving, men! It's a long 
tramp and time's flying!" 

Without loss of time the party got under way. 
No one questioned the wisdom of Kingdom's 
plan, although, if the truth were known, two of 
the men at least, looked for a lively scrimmage 
as a result of the undertaking. But they did 
not falter. Indeed, it is a question if they did 
not rather relish the prospect of a brush with 
the Delawares. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 339 

Lobb was completely disarmed but lie was not 
bound. 

"I give ye my word, master, I'll not try get- 
tin ' away, ' ' he said. 

"Whist! Give me yer chances in the here- 
after; one's as good as Mother," retorted the 
Sergeant contemptuously, and then informed 
the murderer further that the slightest attempt 
on his part would result in his being shot first 
and asked as to the meaning of it afterward. 

The fellow made some very humble answer 
but he grew decidedly thoughtful and rather 
sullen as the marchers hurried rapidly through 
the woods. There was a gleam of satisfaction 
in his eyes, too, when the party passed the 
clearing and saw only a heap of ashes and the 
chimney where the boys' cabin had stood. 
He was thinking. He was planning to betray 
his captors and with Lone-Elk's help to turn 
the tables upon them. How well he succeeded 
will soon be told, for now comes a part of this 
history which all participants therein remem- 
bered throughout their lives, and which left its 



340 THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 

impress upon the people of Captain Pipe's town 
long after the village itself had ceased to be. 

The day was bright and clear. Though not 
warm, neither was it very cold, and the south 
wind which sighed in the leafless branches of 
the trees and gently rippled the waters of the 
little lake seemed soft as velvet. The Dela- 
wares were in fine spirits. With savage rapture 
they looked forward to the terrible celebration 
the night would bring. 

From the lower towns on the Muskingum 
Captain Pipe had brought encouraging news of 
Indian successes along the border and almost 
without exception his warriors were enthusias- 
tic for the final conflict with Wayne 's * ' Legion, ' ' 
which, they believed, would not be long in com- 
ing. They felt perfect confidence as to the out- 
come. They had seen his raw recruits. They 
did not know then that "Mad Anthony " had 
no intention of marching upon them until his 
troops were trained. This and much else they 
learned in time and to their sorrow. 

But there was another reason for a feeling of 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 341 

happiness in the Delaware town, and particu- 
larly was Lone-Elk, the Seneca, in a good 
humor. This very day there had arrived the 
two warriors whom Captain Pipe had sent with 
an offering of white wampum to the friends of 
him Lone-Elk had slain. Not as compensation, 
not as damages for the injury done, had the 
gift of wampum pure and white been sent, but 
as a plea for forgiveness; as a symbol of the 
slayer's penitence and sorrow. 

It was somewhat unusual for an offering of 
peace to be accepted so long after the crime 
had been committed, and it was known, too, that 
Lone-Elk's offense had been particularly cruel. 
So was there very good reason for the Seneca 
to shake hands with his Delaware friends and 
receive their congratulations. 

Captain Pipe thought the outcast seemed less 
truly sorry for his crime than he should have 
been. He little liked the haughty manner in 
which the one so lately restored to a place of 
honor and respect in his own tribe and nation 
bore himself. Perhaps he thought, also, that 



342 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

the Seneca was less appreciative of the service 
rendered him than he should have been. Never- 
theless he gave the bold warrior his hand and 
told him that, though he was now free to return 
to his own people, he would have a place of 
honor among the Delawares as long as he chose 
to remain with them. 

John Jerome heard by degrees of what had 
happened. He wondered if the Seneca would 
not now be less bitter toward him, and more 
fair and honorable. But he was grievously dis- 
appointed. Lone-Elk showed himself more 
hostile, if possible, than before; more keen to 
carry out his plot to avenge the pretended kill- 
ing of Big Buffalo by witchcraft; more intense 
in his hatred. 

As he learned just how matters stood, John's 
only hope for escape lay in Eeturn Kingdom 
and the men of whom Fishing Bird had told 
him. He knew . they would attempt to rescue 
him, but seeing how greatly they were out-num- 
.bered, fear of the outcome worried him more 
and more. It was bad enough for him to suffer, 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 343 

he declared within himself, again and again, 
without dragging Eee and others to the same 
fate. 

The hour of the council to inquire into the 
guilt of the prisoner arrived. The Indians 
assembled and once again John found himself 
in the long, low bark house where always in the 
past he had met the Delawares as friends. Cap- 
tain Pipe and every buck and warrior of the 
village was in attendance ; but more conspicuous 
than any of them, more proud and more erect, 
was Lone-Elk, the Seneca. In his hands he held 
the hatchet brought by him from the cornfield 
of the young Palefaces, the hatchet with which, 
he said, Big Buffalo had been slain. It was 
the evidence that would substantiate his story 
of the witch's work. 

Captain Pipe stated the purpose of the coun- 
cil briefly and quietly. Then he informed the 
prisoner that the Delawares would hear what 
he had to say, but urged him to confess his sin 
and not, on the eve of death, be guilty of a lie. 

With face and body blackened, his hands 



344 THE TRAIL OF THE -SENECA 

bound to a stick behind him, the accused boy 
arose. He tried to be bold and fearless, but, 
though he looked the Indians squarely in the 
eyes, he could not speak as he wished to do. 
His voice did not falter, but the words seemed 
somehow to refuse to come. 

The charge against him was false, he said, 
and time would prove it. Never except in fair 
fight had he harmed any Indian. He would 
leave it to Captain Pipe to judge if he had not 
always conducted himself as a friend of the 
Delawares. He reminded them how, only the 
past winter, he had brought their women and 
children food while the able men were away 
for the fighting that had taken place. With a 
suppressed sigh as he saw how little impression 
he had made on the hostile faces round him, 
John sat down. 

In an instant Lone-Elk was on his feet. With 
head thrown back and flashing eyes he repeated 
the story of the cloud which drifted over the 
lake repeated again the whole miserable tale 
he had told so many times before. Then he ex- 




THEY ASKED HIM TO GO WITH THEM. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 345 

hibited the hatchet taken from the shock of corn 
on which a crow of most strange appearance 
had the same day been seen. 

"Lone-Elk well knows who pnt the tomahawk 
where he got it, Captain Pipe,'' the prisoner 
found courage to say. But for doing so the 
warriors beside him smartly rapped his head 
with their knuckles, and the Seneca gave him a 
look of hate so fierce, so vindictive it startled 
him. 

"The white brother's time for speech is 
over, ' ' the chief made answer coldly, and Lone- 
Elk now resuming his seat, he said: "The 
Delawares will hear any who wish to speak 
further. ' ' 

A travel-stained figure glided swiftly from 
the door to Captain Pipe's side and spoke to 
him in quick, low tones that few could hear. It 
was Fishing Bird. 

"There are Palefaces who wait with a white 
flag, Palefaces who wish to be heard, " the chief 
announced, in the Delaware tongue. "Fishing 
Bird may bring them here." 



346 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

Lone-Elk, with glaring eyes, rose hastily and 
would have remonstrated but with a kindly, yet 
imperious wave of his hand Captain Pipe 
motioned to him to sit down, and he obeyed. 

In another minute Eeturn Kingdom, followed 
by five other white men, stepped into the Coun- 
cil House. 

"Captain Pipe," said Kingdom at once, "we 
have put down our guns and come here without 
arms to say a few words to the Delawares which 
they may be surprised to hear. The Delawares 
are in council and it is a proper time to speak 
to them. We ask nothing more than that you 
let us be heard." 

"The Delawares will listen to White Fox," 
the chief answered. "While the council lasts 
we shall be as friends. When it is over the 
Paleface brothers may go their way." 

"We thank Captain Pipe and all the Dela- 
wares," Kingdom answered in clear, loud, 
friendly tones. "We have come to you with 
important news. We are received as your 
friends and we shall be such while in your vil- 



THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 347 

lage. The news we bring will not be pleasant 
to all of you. For the Delawares have been 
deceived. There is one here who has led Cap- 
tain Pipe and many of his people to believe he 
knew of a secret mine from which he could sup- 
ply them with much lead and with bullets. " 

Kingdom paused for an instant, and as he did 
so Lone-Elk for the first time caught sight of 
Lobb standing between two of the woodsmen. 
The look he darted toward the fellow was 
venomous. There is no doubt but what he 
thought the Englishman had revealed his secret, 
then led the white men thither to betray him. 

But after the one quick, black look the Seneca 
seemed quite indifferent to the presence of any 
of the white men. He concealed his thoughts 
completely and the Delawares who cast ques- 
tioning glances toward him were amazed at his 
composure. Not so with Captain Pipe, how- 
ever. He had seen on Lone-Elk's brow the 
awful scowl which came and went so quickly, 
and to him it spoke volumes. 

The pause in Kingdom's speech was very 



348 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

short, and few of the Delawares noticed for a 
time the effect his words had produced upon 
their chief. It was not until later that they saw 
on his face the fixed expression of stony cold- 
ness dreaded by all of them. 

1 1 There is one among you who has sought to 
advance himself and his own ambitions by tak- 
ing advantage of the other Indians," Kingdom 
went on. " Three white men were sent from 
Detroit with lead, bullets, powder and gold for 
the Delawares and other warriors hereabouts. 
To one Indian only were the lead and bullets 
and powder given. True, he gave them to the 
Delawares, but he led them to believe that from 
a secret mine did he obtain the supplies he 
brought them. So did he gain power and in- 
fluence with Captain Pipe's people. 

"Now, hear me further. Two of the three 
men sent by the British to carry stores 
from Detroit for the Delawares and others have 
been murdered. The third man killed them. 
He has confessed his crime and told the whole 
story of why the Indians did not all share 



THE TRAIL OF THB SBNBCA 349 

equally in the goods brought for them. This 
man is here ! ' ' 

Putting all the emphasis he could muster into 
his closing sentences, Kingdom signalled his 
friends as he concluded, and Lobb, trembling 
and ashy pale, was pushed into the foreground. 

"You have heard what I have told the Dela- 
wares," Kingdom quietly said. "Do you know 
if it is true ! ' ' 

The boy's voice was calm and low, but in the 
death-like silence of the Council House every 
word was plainly heard by all, and with in- 
tensest interest the savages awaited the answer. 

"Yes; it's true," muttered Lobb with a look 
half of terror, half of appeal and apology 
toward the Seneca. 

' ' Now point to the one who received the gifts 
intended for all the Indians, not for him alone, " 
Kingdom commanded. 

The murderer looked anxiously about him. 
He trembled so he could hardly stand, but made 
no other move. 



350 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

" Point!" thundered Kingdom. "You know 
him well!" 

' ' There ! ' ' came with a groan from the fright- 
ened fellow's lips, and his outstretched finger 
indicated Lone-Elk. 

On the Seneca's face there was an expression 
so threatening that even Kingdom was alarmed. 
But he continued his talk boldly. 

"He who has deceived the Dela wares in one 
way will deceive them in another. Will they 
listen when his voice is raised against one who 
has always been their friend? Will the Dela- 
wares allow him to shield himself from sus- 
picion by telling them Big Buffalo was killed 
by witchcraft! Will they do this? Are the 
Delawares men! Have they not honor and 
fairness?" 

Kingdom would have said more, and trouble 
would most certainly have followed, had Cap- 
tain Pipe permitted it. The Indians were be- 
coming dangerously excited. Jim Small and the 
other woodsmen, too, were anticipating a row, 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 351 

while John Jerome was on the verge of cheer- 
ing. 

The Delaware chief may have seen what the 
talk was leading toward ; at any rate he quickly 
rose, commanding silence, and straightway 
began an address such as his people never be- 
fore had heard and which no one present could 
ever forget. His voice was not loud. His tones 
were those of sorrow rather than anger, but he 
put into them so much of stern honesty and both 
reproof and reproach, that his every word was 
like a knife point. He said : 

' * There came to the Delawares a fugitive and 
an outcast. In a moment of anger he had taken 
the life of one who was raised up over him by 
his people, the noble Senecas. Still he proved 
himself in heavy fighting a loyal Indian and a 
mighty warrior. So did the Delawares open 
their doors to him. He was given places of 
honor. When time had passed, and the scar of 
his crime was old, a present of white wampum 
was sent to the kindred of the dead Seneca ask- 
ing their forgiveness. 



352 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

"This very day have the messengers of the 
Delawares returned bringing pardon full and 
free for the stranger among them. Yet this 
very day do the Delawares learn that they have 
been treated as children; deceived and misled 
by him they helped. 

"They would have adopted him as one of 
their own nation, but he has returned their 
hospitality with lies, their kindest thoughts with 
evil. 

"Of the death of Big Buffalo the Delawares 
will now inquire among themselves. Witch- 
craft is an enemy if it exists. The Delawares 
will learn the truth. But the Seneca must go. 
Let him leave the town and the hunting grounds 
of our people forever. Go!" 

Waving his right hand haughtily toward 
Lone-Elk, Captain Pipe concluded, and a flush 
of anger awful to see came to his face as the 
Seneca sat still, his whole attitude one of in- 
difference and contempt. 

As the chieftain was about to repeat his stern 
command in even sterner tones, Lone-Elk rose 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 353 

to his feet. For a second or two he toyed with 
the tomahawk he still held in his hands. Then 
in insolent tones, both contemptuous and con- 
temptible, and, glaring up and down the rows of 
faces upturned to him, he said : 

" Lone-Elk is a Seneca. Never had he a 
thought of becoming a Delaware. Why should 
a Seneca warrior put himself among squaws? 
For food; for rest. Nothing more. Lone-Elk 
did not so much as ask that the belt of white 
wampum be sent to the friends of a Seneca that 
is dead. He asked no favors of any Delaware. 
Some of your foolish young men pointed their 
fingers at Lone-Elk when Big Buffalo was 
found dead in the bushes by the water. For his 
amusement Lone-Elk told them of a witch. 
Like squaws they heard every word. Like chil- 
dren they must hear over and over again and 
could not have enough. Like children, too, did 
the Delawares open their ears and their eyes to 
hear a legend of a hidden mine of lead. Ugh ! 
A warrior sickens over them and is glad to go." 

For a full second the Seneca paused and 



354 THE TRAIL OF THH SHNECA 

looked disdainfully about him. There was 
anger in every Delaware's face. 

But suddenly Lone-Elk's demeanor changed. 
An exclamation of wrath awful to hear burst 
from his lips. 

" There stands the two-tongued Paleface 
squaw who killed your dead Big Buffalo!" he 
cried, and shook his fist toward the quaking 
Lobb. "Lone-Elk trusted a two-faced black 
dog of a Paleface ! That is the Seneca's crime ! 
When the Harvest Festival was held this dog 
was hiding in the brushes. Big Buffalo stumbled 
upon him there and kicked him, like the dog that 
he is. They seized each other by the throats. 
The grip of the dog was stronger than the war- 
rior's grip. Big Buffalo was killed. Lone-Elk 
has long known this. But why should he tell 
the Delawares f Why tell the Delawares, to 
save two Paleface spies, cheating and lying to 
the Indians and hunting on their land? 

"Still, the Delawares are but squaws. They 
have no place among the mighty nations. Lone- 
Elk is glad to leave them. The Delawares will 



THE TRAIL OF THB SBNHCA 355 

never see him again. Let them, then, tell their 
children that once a mighty warrior lived 
among them. ' ' 

Not deigning to glance again toward Captain 
Pipe or any of the others present, but with his 
eyes fixed on Lobb alone, the Seneca quickly 
turned toward the door. 

Before his intention was suspected, he swiftly 
raised the tomahawk in his right hand, high 
above his head and brought it down on the skull 
of the white murderer. 

With a stifled cry that ended in a sickening 
groan, Lobb sunk to the ground, and the Indian 
strode haughtily into the open air, still clutch- 
ing the blood-stained hatchet. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

FAREWELL FOREVER 

The killing of Lobb was as nothing to the 
Delawares in comparison to the words Lone-Elk 
had spoken, and the greatest confusion followed 
his sudden departure. Many Indians and two 
of the woodsmen rushed out as if to seize the 
Seneca, but he was gone. For an instant they 
caught sight of him among the trees, walking 
rapidly away, with head erect and shoulders 
squared. Not once did he look back. 

Why no one went in pursuit of Lone-Elk 
might be hard to explain ; but certain it is that 
neither Indian nor white man so much as called 
after him. Perhaps what was every one 's busi- 
ness was no one's business. At any rate the 
Seneca went his way unmolested, and those who 
had hurried out after him soon returned to the 
Council House where, between them, Captain 
Pipe and Kingdom had succeeded in restoring 
356 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 357 

quiet the former by ordering the Dela wares to 
be silent ; the latter by cautioning his friends to 
keep cool. 

Sergeant Quayle had sought to lift the un- 
fortunate Lobb up the moment he fell, but found 
his task useless. The murderer was dead, and 
no wonder, for the gaping wound in his head 
was both wide and deep. 

Quayle still knelt over the lifeless body when 
the confusion had subsided; but seeing with 
what horror even the savages regarded the dead 
man's fallen jaw and staring eyes, truly a most 
terrible sight, he covered the corpse with his 
coat. 

An embarrassing silence followed the noise 
and commotion the tragedy had occasioned, and 
for a few seconds the quiet was dreadful. The 
Indians were in no good humor. The woodsmen 
were ripe and ready for trouble and Kingdom 
understood only too well the gravity of the 
situation. But he grappled with it boldly and 
successfully. 

" Captain Pipe," he said, with quiet dignity. 



358 TEH TRAIL OP THE SENECA 

"A murder has been committed. A white man 
has been killed while under the flag of truce. 
It is not enough to say that he deserved his 
death. Of course we realize that the Delawares 
are not exactly to blame. Still we have all 
learned how Big Buffalo died and we have seen 
the murderer punished. Now will the Dela- 
wares not agree that they no longer have a 
reason for holding Little Paleface a prisoner!" 
"Like the Delawares have the young Pale- 
face brothers suffered for the sins of another," 
Captain Pipe made answer. "They will yield 
the prisoner to his friends. Yet do the Dela- 
wares urge the Paleface young men to leave the 
lands of the Indians and, until there is peace, 
come back no more. They know, as the Dela- 
wares know, that it is not safe. The blood of 
our warriors is heated. The braves are in war- 
paint. For the Little Paleface and for White 
Fox the Delawares will have only kind thoughts. 
They have been good friends. The Indians 
have been glad to visit them and trade with 
them. 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 359 

' ' Yet is it wise that they travel their separate 
paths alone. The ways of the Paleface are not 
the ways of the Indian. The Great Spirit has 
made them both as they are and they cannot be 
otherwise. Time and the conflicts that every 
day take place will at last draw a line between 
them and there will be peace and happiness. To 
the west will live the Indians as the Great Spirit 
has taught them to do. To the east, the Pale- 
faces will cut down trees, drive off the game and 
build and dwell in noisy towns. It is as they 
have been taught. Still, only by war can the 
line of separation be drawn, and it is well for 
the Delawares and their Paleface brothers to 
go in different ways. Today the trail they have 
followed together divides. They say farewell. 
They hopfe for friendship's sake their paths 
may never meet in war." 

With a few words in reply Kingdom hurried 
to John Jerome, whom the warriors quickly 
loosened from his bonds. The two boys clasped 
hands in silence. 

Fishing Bird had already sent Long-Hair and 



360 THE TRAIL OF THE 

Little Wolf for John's rifle and other belong- 
ings and when the lad had shaken hands with 
Neohaw, Gentle Maiden and Captain Pipe, his 
property was handed him. 

Ree also took leave of the Indians whose 
friendship he had once enjoyed and, two of the 
woodsmen bearing the body of the Englishman, 
all the white men left the village. 

Silently, their untamed spirits for the time 
subdued, the Indians gathered near the Council 
House to watch the departure of the Palefaces. 
To the portage trail Eee and John were accom- 
panied by Fishing Bird. They asked him to go 
with them to remain with them permanently. 
He shook his head. 

"Paleface brothers heard the words of Cap- 
tain Pipe," he said, significantly but sorrow- 
fully, and they said good-bye forever. 

An hour later, beside the portage path, the 
great highway of the wilderness, the body of 
Lobb was buried; and the sun went down and 
darkness enveloped the vast forest and all 
within it. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

DOWN THE SUN-KISSED SLOPE TOGETHER 

Beside their campfire, near the spot where a 
mossy stone marked Lobb's last resting place, 
the two boys and their friends discussed their 
future movements. All were interested in visit- 
ing the murderer's camp in the ravine, and Jim 
Small declared his intention of making search 
for the Seneca's lead mine. He believed the 
Indian had some good reason for telling the 
Delawares he knew of such a mine, and, though 
the others did not agree with him, he held to his 
theory. 

In substance Small's idea was that, inasmuch 
as out-and-out lying was not an Indian trait, 
Lone-Elk must have had some basis for his 
story more than had been discovered. How- 
ever, time proved that this theory was not well 
founded. Jim was right in his assertion that 
Indians did not make lying a practice, but in 

361 



362 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

this as well as in his ambition to be a leader, 
whatever the cost, the Seneca was less honor- 
able than Indians were as a rule, before trickery 
and firewater had corrupted them. 

Despite their fatigue and the day's exciting 
events, the woodsmen and the two boys re- 
mained awake far into the night. They were 
alert -and watchful, however, for the older men 
placed no confidence whatever in the savages, 
and all screened themselves from sight by lying 
down among the bushes near which their fire 
was built. 

Besting thus, and speaking in low tones, John 
told the story of his adventure and in turn 
heard with great interest the story of Lobb's 
capture and confession. There were tears in 
Bee's eyes when Jerome described the burning 
of the cabin, and for the first time he felt in his 
heart a hatred deep and endless toward the In- 
dians as a whole. 

The Sergeant and his men were astonished to 
learn of the many lively skirmishes the two 
pioneer boys had had with the savages at differ- 



THE TRAIL OP THE SENECA 363 

ent times, and expressed their wonder that both 
had not been scalped long ago. 

1 1 Ye '11 desarve it, too, if ever ye come to these 
hostyle parts ag'in," Quayle told them. 
' ' Whist ! It beats all, so it do, that mere spal- 
peens get through where whiskers a full foot 
long can 't go ! " 

The morning came, cold and raw, with a feel- 
ing of snow in the air. With some haste the 
little party ate a breakfast of roasted smoked 
meat and resumed the march toward the gully. 
They paused for half an hour in the clearing 
and Kee and John soon found Neb, sheltering 
himself from the wind, back of a clump of 
bushes. Every particle of harness had been 
destroyed by the fire, and only a strip of buck- 
skin could be found wherewith to lead the horse. 
Neb was very docile, however, and upon his 
willing back a roughly fashioned pack was soon 
placed. It contained corn and potatoes from 
the fields the boys had cultivated, and various 
articles of baggage of which the woodsmen were 
glad to be relieved. 



364 THE TRAIL Of THE SENECA 

Before leaving the clearing Eee and John 
went again to the heap of ashes which marked 
the cabin site. Together they surveyed the 
ruins and were glad of the opportunity to speak 
to each other some words of sympathy their 
companions would not hear. As they did so, 
John noticed sticking in the half -burned end of 
a log a blood-stained tomahawk. 

" Look! Lone-Elk came here!" he said. 

"I declare," returned Kingdom solemnly, 
"his hatred is something almost more than 
human. Venting his feelings by leaving that 
hatchet at this spot! I suppose he intends it 
as a warning ! ' ' 

Neither boy was disposed to touch the 
weapon and they left it left it and the rem- 
nants of their fallen hopes and castles among 
the ashes of the cabin. Eee sighed as they 
turned away. 4 ' But still, ' ' he said, brightening, 
* ' we have enough to be thankful for, after all. ' ' 

It was nearly noon when the camp in the 
gully was reached. Apparently no one had 
been near since the capture of Lobb, and no 



THU TRAIL OF THB S&NHCA 365 

reason to doubt the truthfulness of the story the 
guilty wretch had told could be discovered, ex- 
cepting that no gold was found. 

"We'd orter got that 'fore we took the 
heathen away," said one of the woodsmen, and 
the others agreed. 

Bee and John, however, did not greatly care. 
With the others, they made careful search of 
the vicinity, however. Nothing did they find 
except a few articles of food, some cooking 
utensils, a bullet mold and a quantity of lead 
and powder in the low, shallow cave concealed 
among the bushes. All the afternoon was given 
up to hunting for the lead mine and the gold 
thought to be hidden near by. But the Seneca 's 
mine, if he had one, remains undiscovered to 
this day. Neither was the slightest trace of 
the treasure sent for the Indians, but who never 
received it, found. 

The searchers made camp at night near the 
hollow whitewood, whose sheltering trunk pro- 
tected Eee, John and the Sergeant. The others 
scoffed good-naturedly, saying the first three 



366 THE TRAIL OF THE SHNHCA 

were no better than bears. Nevertheless the tree 
was a very comfortable place, and especially 
on this occasion, for during the night much 
snow fell. 

The desirability of reaching Wayne's camp 
as soon as possible was apparent to all mem- 
bers of the party and rapid marching was 
agreed upon. A halt of a half day for hunting, 
with the result that a quantity of fresh venison 
and several turkeys were carried into camp, 
was the only delay in the journey to the east, 
and the distance of nearly one hundred miles 
was covered in a little more than five days. 

Gen. Wayne sent for both Kingdom and 
Jerome the day following their arrival and 
from them heard a full account of the salt 
springs murder, the death of Lobb, and the in- 
disputable evidence that the British at Detroit 
were extending aid to the redskins throughout 
the Northwest territory. He cautioned the boys 
that they must not think of returning to their 
clearing, and, thinking perhaps of the military 
ambitions of his own boyhood, the sham battles 



THh TRAIL OF THE SHNBCA 367 

he had arranged and fought, and the sieges he 
had planned, asked them if they would like to 
join his "Legion." It was by this name that 
he always called the army he was assembling. 

Thanking him, and saying they would like 
to think of his offer and talk it over, the lads 
took leave of the great soldier, feeling very well 
satisfied with themselves. 

In the end, however, Eee and John did not 
join the "Legion." They were not lacking in 
courage, nor in patriotism. But within the next 
few days John was taken very sick. The in- 
juries and exposure he had suffered were the 
cause of it, the army surgeon said. He was re- 
moved to Fort Pitt and the winter was half 
over before he was again able to be out of doors. 
He regained strength slowly and with the com- 
ing of spring he and Eee, mounted 'on Neb and 
Phoebe, made the .trip by easy stages to Con- 
necticut. 

Three years passed before the boys went west 
again, and along the whole frontier peace 
reigned supreme. Wayne's victory over the 



368 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

savages at the Battle of Fallen Timbers effectu- 
ally ended their resistance to civilization's ad- 
vance in the Ohio country, and never again did 
a serious outbreak occur in the region named. 
By the treaty of Fort Greenville in 1796 the 
extreme eastern boundary between the settlers 
and the Indians was definitely fixed at the Cuya- 
hoga and Tuscarawas rivers and the portage 
path. It so remained until the treaty of Fort 
Industry in 1805 when the Indians sold the 
lands west of the path and the rivers named. 

The village of Captain Pipe on the little lake 
had by this time long since disappeared. As a 
nation the Delawares were scattered and their 
numbers were small. Eventually they found 
homes in a far western reservation. 

Although Bee and John never saw the honest, 
loyal Fishing Bird again, they heard of him as 
taking a gallant part, on the side of the Indians, 
of course, in the Battle of Fallen Timbers. Re- 
port reached them also of a most bitterly hostile 
savage who was among the killed in this battle. 
He fought with his last breath. Though shot 



THE TRAIL OF THH SENECA 369 

twice through the body, he raised himself on his 
elbow and sunk his knife into a wounded soldier 
who had fallen near him. That this redskin was 
Lone-Elk, the Seneca, there can be little doubt. 

There is a tradition that the beautiful daugh- 
ter of Captain Pipe so attracted a young war- 
rior, whose admiration she did not like, that he 
poisoned himself when she rejected his atten- 
tions. Another tradition states that Gentle 
Maiden was cruelly shot by two white men, 
while walking alone in the woods. I do not 
know whether these legends are supported by 
fact, 'nor do I know if there is any truth what- 
ever in the tradition of there having been a lead 
mine in the Cuyahoga valley, the existence of 
which was known only to the Indians. 

Eeturn Kingdom and John Jerome did not 
settle again where their original clearing had 
been. There was a reason and it was that 
pretty Mary Catesby, a very early friend of 
Bee's, having become Mrs. Return Kingdom, 
was a party to the plans for the permanent re- 
moval west. She wanted to be somewhere with- 



370 THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 

in reach of neighbors. Woman-like, she had her 
way, and Eee bought land near Marietta. 
Where Kingdom was John Jerome was sure to 
be, and he owned the adjoining farm. 

Both the boys, now to manhood grown, were 
active in the public affairs of the state of Ohio, 
organized a few years later, and many a day 
and evening found them together in conference 
concerning matters of mutual interest. They 
did not always agree, but it is certain they never 
quarreled. Their lives were blessed with many 
quiet joys and even when sorrows came they 
also were shared and each grief and burden 
seemed the lighter. 

More and more often in later years, as the 
two went down the sun-kissed slope of lives well 
spent did they speak of the adventures of their 
youth. Maybe John was inclined to brag a lit- 
tle. Some say so. But both were liked by all. 

To the end of his days John looked up to Ree 
as to an elder brother, and if he did brag it was 
of Kingdom's exploits, rather than his own, 
and the latter was wont to smile, "Well, well! 



THE TRAIL OF THE SENECA 371 

They were days quite brisk enough, and pleas- 
ant now to talk about; but in quite a different 
way the present days are brisker, after all. ' ' 

THE END. 



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